The Stay Safe Programme
AIM
To prevent child abuse by equipping parents and teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect the children in their care.
To teach children safety skills, increase community awareness and make children less vulnerable to abuse of all kinds.
PROGRAMME CONTENT
The Stay Safe Programme is based on the following concepts:
- Children need to know that they can turn to adults for help.
- Children need to know that they will be believed and protected by adults.
- Children are able to generalise and to apply rules and guidelines to a range of situations.
- Children are capable of making judgements and can recognise and learn to respect their instincts.
- Children are taught to say “No” to anything that upsets or confuses them.They are encouraged to exercise control, to be assertive and to seek help for any problem. Strategies and skills for dealing with potentially dangerous situations are taught aiming to promote a collection of protective behaviours within the child.
CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMME LEARN
To distinguish between safe and unsafe feelings.
- What to do if lost.
- What to do if the phone or doorbell rings when they are alone in the house.
- What to do if bullied.
- About strangers and safety strategies.
- That some secrets should not be kept.
- That touches should never be kept secret.
- How to respond to inappropriate touches.
- Who and how to tell if in trouble.
The programme is divided into Junior (Senior Infants to 2nd Class) and Senior (3rd Class upwards) curricula.
A video cassette, audio tape and pupils worksheets are used in conjunction with the programme.
The Stay Safe Programme is covered each year with all classes.
Parents are advised of this before it is undertaken.
Pupils are given written assignments based on the programme content.