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Caring
for School-Aged Children: Street Proofing
Much of a school-aged child's day is spent without
your immediate supervision. It is important that
you help children develop good safety practices.
Good personal safety practices for children include:
- Knowing
their address, phone number, your name,
address and phone number and their parents’ workplaces
and phone numbers (some children carry identification
in their school bags).
- Not
talking to strangers, even someone asking
for directions or assistance.
- Not
accepting offers of any kind from strangers
(candy, toys, a ride home).
- If
approached by a stranger, going immediately
to the school, the caregiver's, or
a
Block Parent home (whichever is closer) and telling them what
happened.
- The
child knows that neither you nor the child's
parents would ever send
a stranger
to pick them up at school or anywhere else.
- The
child never displays their name on the outside
of lunch boxes, coats, books,
or
other belongings.
- If
walking to and from school, they tell you
their route and make sure they stick
to it each day.
- If
walking to and from school or the park, they
walk with a friend or friends
whenever possible.
- They
are aware of the Block Parent Program and
can point out participating
homes in your area.
- If
children are bussed to and from school, you
and the child have made
a plan of action in case they miss the bus. For example, if before school,
they return to your home.
If after school, they return to the school and contact you.
- You
and the child have made a plan of action
in case the child
arrives
at the child care home and you aren't there. You might arrange with a neighbour
for the child to go
to their
home if you are not available. Make sure the child has met the neighbour.
- The
child always lets you know where they are.
If allowed to play
at the park after school, they stop first at the child care home to drop off
books
and check-in with
you.
- You
know the names and phone numbers of the
child's school, friends,
school bus company, and a contact person and phone number for any after school
activities
the child participates
in.
- The child knows how to reach emergency services
(e.g. 911).
Remember though,
that while it is
important to help
children
become aware of,
and be cautious
of, potential risk
situations, they
also need to
feel confident
in their ability
to make appropriate
choices and decisions
based on their
experience
and the help caring
adults in their
lives have
provided in preparing
them for life.
Making children
afraid
will not help them
in thinking through
and
responding safely
and appropriately
to situations.
Encouraging choices,
fostering their
self-esteem and
confidence, and
helping them
understand consequences
will help them.
Additional Resources:
Glenn, H. Stephen and Jane Nelson: Raising Self
Reliant Children in a Self Indulgent World: Seven
Building Blocks for Developing Capable Young People.
Prima Publishing, Roseville, California, 2000.
Musson, Steve:
Leading by Design: a guide to school age care
for 9 – 12 year
olds. Karyo Communications, Vancouver, BC, 1997.
This excerpt was
taken from the Family Child Care Training Project
Level 2 - Unit Four: Caring
for School-Aged Children.
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