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What We Know

The past two decades 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).

"...these skills offer children far more than added protection against abuse -- they support healthy emotional development and social interactions." Deborah Daro, Ph.D., Director, National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research, Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal 16:1

A Unique Approach to Prevention

The Safe Child Program contains all the key components that have been identified as essential to a comprehensive prevention of child abuse program, including:

Teacher training to ensure consistent presentation of the Program;

Parental involvement to enhance understanding and support of Program goals;

Multi-racial and multi-cultural (parent and child materials are available in English, Spanish, Creole and French);

Positive, non-explicit approach which respects the needs of children and families;

Program initiation at the preschool level with annual, age-appropriate development of the concepts and skills;

Multi-session instruction, five to ten sessions each year of the program;

Videotapes to guarantee the accurate introduction and modeling of the concepts to the children;

Well scripted classroom role-playing to develop individual mastery of safety skills;

Emphasis on life skill which have been shown to enable children to utilize prevention skills; and

On-going evaluation and updating of the program.

  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SAFE CHILD PROGRAM,

RETURN TO Safe Child Program PAGE

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Copyright © 1996 -2010 Coalition for Children, Inc. a not-for-profit (501c3) organization and Sherryll Kraizer, PhD