Dear Parents/Guardians,
A notice is coming home today in your child’s yellow communication folder about our Personal Safety Program that will be starting tomorrow. I am copying the notice here, just in case.
Re: PERSONAL SAFETY PROGRAM, “SAFE BODIES, STRONG KIDS.”
The school is excited to let you know that your child will be soon be learning about personal awareness and personal safety strategies. Teachers will be using a program called “Safe Bodies, Strong Kids” that was jointly developed by several school districts in the lower mainland.
Research has shown that children who are taught the correct names of body parts, self-assertive strategies, along with being made aware of how and when to seek an adult’s help, are less likely to be victimized and/or exploited and are more likely to report earlier if they are. (Finkelhor, Asdigian, & Dzuiba-Leatherman, 1995a, 1995b; Rispens, Aleman, & Goudena, 1997; Topping & Barron, 2009; Gibson & Leitenberg, 2000)
Personal safety is one of the learning standards of the Physical and Health Education Curriculum mandated by the Ministry of Education. Children, throughout their school education, will learn about various topics including personal safety, personal boundaries and how to seek help when needed.
Examples of topics discussed in the program include:
- Your body belongs to you,
- Safe and respectful reasons for touch
- What to do when a touch is not safe and respectful,
- Scientific names for private parts of the body,
- The “No, Get Away and Tell” safety rule.
Please use this opportunity to talk to your child about what they are learning and practice the safety strategies they have been introduced to.
Please feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s education.
Many thanks,
Ms. Quin