Programs

Safe Child Program

Safe Child Book

Reach

Recommended Reading

Challenge

Recovery

Services

Consulting

Risk Management

Legal

Media Assistance

Subjects

Child Abuse

Strangers

Safety on the Internet

Bullies

Advocacy

Research

What We Now Know

The past decade of research has provided a clear road map for those seeking to make decisions about prevention programming.

• It is now evident that "one-shot" efforts including plays, assemblies, books, videotapes, games and comic books alone are not adequate to provide real skill-building for children (Gentles and Cassidy, Fryer).
• Developmental and age-appropriate materials are essential (Daro, Garbarino, Sanford, Saslowsky and Wurtele).
• It is compellingly obvious that programming which begins at second or third grade is already too late as about half of child abuse begins prior to that age (National Incidence Study).
• Preschool appears to be the "most teachable moment" for prevention instruction to begin (Kraizer).
• Prevention education should be experientially-based. Children may learn concepts by watching, listening and discussion, but skills can only be learned by doing, by giving children an opportunity to rehearse prevention strategies (Daro, Fryer, Kraizer).
• It is not necessary for programming to be explicit in order to be effective; fear and anxiety levels are lower in programs that teach prevention without talking directly about abusive situations (Fryer, Kraizer).
• The opportunity to apply concepts and turn them into skills through role-play has been shown to be at the heart of empowering children to prevent abuse (Fryer, Kraizer).

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Copyright © 1996-2008 Coalition for Children, Inc., Sherryll Kraizer, Ph.D.