(Posted 2023 September)
The Body Safety program helps children understand safe boundaries and healthy relationships. This can reduce the risk of children becoming victims of abuse.
The Body Safety program uses the Childhelp® Speak Up Be Safe curriculum to educate and empower children. It is evidence and research based, developmentally and linguistically tailored for each school Pre-K through 6th grade.
We recently had the opportunity to teach a Body Safety class at Clifton Presbyterian Church Preschool, where they model and guide children to show respect and kindness to themselves, their classmates, and their teachers. During the Body Safety classes, we reinforced the ideas that children deserve to be respected and safe on the inside and on the outside.
After the class, Rylynn our facility dog and her handler, Volunteer & Partner Services Supervisor Samantha Carrico, joined the class so that Rylynn could provide love, comfort, and kisses to the preschoolers and staff.
One girl was initially fearful of dogs, but after seeing how calmly Rylynn behaved with the other students, she decided to pet Rylynn. As the girl became more comfortable, really enjoyed her time with Rylynn.
Every Body Safety lesson across each grade level reinforces the same primary ideas about safety through using age-appropriate instruction and interaction. Children learn:
- You are special and deserve to be safe.
- There are rules that can help keep you safe.
- Adults are responsible for keeping you safe.
- You have body parts that are private; these body parts are those covered by a bathing suit.
- How to identify and talk about the different types of abuse.
The Body Safety program is offered at NO COST and is presented in Fairfax County Public Schools, community centers, child care centers, and any other community or faith-based organizations at request. We are scheduling now for the rest of the school year, and keep in mind that the month of May is a great month for preschools and child care centers to schedule Body Safety classes due to the FCPS students taking the Standards of Learning assessments.
If you know of a family, school (public or private), community center, organization or program working with children who could benefit from the Body Safety Program, please email us or call us at 703-324-7459.
This article posting is part of The Volunteer Post Newsletter for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families in crisis. Learn more about Fairfax County Department of Family Services' Volunteer & Partner Services Program (VPS).