Body safety program

The overarching goal with this curriculum is always to provide children with the skills to identify and be able to approach a safe adult should they ever be in a situation in which they are unsure if they are safe.

The curriculum used in Fairfax County features modules for children in Pre-K to sixth grade. Information in the presentation is tailored to meet children where they are developmentally.

Learn more about the curriculum focus at each stage of development. Thank you for volunteering your patience, time and presence during your visit to our school. Learn about Beech Tree Elementary's successful experience hosting the first Body Safety class with participating students from grades K The Body Safety Program is available free of cost to elementary schools, child care centers, community centers and other group settings in Fairfax County.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, contact Francesca Watson by email or call Find out about boundaries, choices, big feelings, mandatory reporting, the impacts of trauma, and adverse childhood experiences during this powerful podcast.

Learn more about Volunteer Partner Services Program. Department of Family Services — Children and Families. DFSinfo fairfaxcounty. Results indicate that preschoolers who had participated in the BST program demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse and higher levels of personal safety skills compared to controls, and these gains were maintained at the one-month follow-up.

No program-related increases in problematic behaviors were reported by teachers or parents, nor were the children in the BST group perceived by their parents as more fearful subsequent to participation.

The efficacy of a parent implemented program for teaching preschoolers personal safety skills. Behavior Therapy, 22 , Summary: To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations The purpose of this study was to determine whether preschool-age children can learn personal safety skills when taught by their parents. Children's abilities to discriminate between appropriate-touch and inappropriate-touch requests, their prevention skills, and levels of emotional distress were assessed.

Results indicate that following BST participation, children demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse and higher levels of personal safety skills compared to controls, and these gains were maintained at the two-month follow-up. No program-related increases in negative behaviors were reported by parents, nor were children in the BST group seen as more fearful subsequent to participation.

Limitations include validity of assessment measures, small sample size and generalizability of results to other parents and children. A comparison of teachers vs. Summary: To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of parents and teachers as instructors of a personal safety program.

Children were posttested on knowledge and skill gains. Results indicate that no significant differences were found between BST groups of children taught by teachers or parents, and children in both of these groups demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse and higher levels of personal safety skills compared with those in the control group.

Knowledge and skill gains were maintained at the two-month follow-up. No program-related increases in negative behaviors were reported by teachers, nor were they perceived by the parents of children in the BST groups.

Limitations include small sample size and generalizability of results to other families. Sexual abuse prevention education for young children: A comparison of teachers and parents as instructors. Summary: To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations The purpose of this study was to compare teachers and parents as instructors of a personal safety program.

Results indicate that following program participation, children in any of the BST groups demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse and higher levels of personal safety skills compared with those in the control group. Gains in knowledge and skills were maintained at the 5-month follow up. Children taught by their parents showed greater improvements in recognizing inappropriate-touch requests and in their personal safety skills compared with children taught by their teachers, and children who received the program both from teachers and parents were better able to recognize appropriate-touch requests and to demonstrate higher levels of personal safety skills compared with children taught only by teachers.

The emotional costs associated with participating in the program were minimal, and both parents and children rated the program positively. Limitations include small sample size and generalizability of results to other families who do not receive the same level of support for the intervention.

Currier, L. A pilot study of previously abused and non-sexually abused children's responses to a personal safety program. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 5 1 , Type of Study: Nonrandomized controlled trial using matched groups Number of Participants: Sexually abused children and children with no history of sexual abuse were matched and then taught a personal safety program by their parents or caretakers.

Results indicate that both groups of children demonstrated significant increases in skills and knowledge scores following the program. No negative reactions to the program were observed by parents, and sexually abused children exhibited fewer inappropriate sexual behaviors following program participation. Limitations include small sample size, use of therapy with some subjects, use of parent-reported outcomes from the parent who delivered the intervention, and concerns about generalizability of results to other families.

Sarno, J. Effects of a personal safety program on preschoolers' knowledge, skills, and perceptions of child sexual abuse. Child Maltreatment, 2 , Through story we can discuss difficult topics. This book was written as a tool to help parents, carers and teachers broach the subject in a non-threatening way. Hey There! What's Your Superpower? Blog RSS. View fullsize. Where young children are concerned, Body Safety programs should be age-appropriate, non-threatening and aim to teach children these basic points: Your body is YOUR body and no-one else has the right to touch it, especially your private areas those covered by a bathing suit.

How to talk about body safety and Educate2Empower Publishing Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept is a beautifully illustrated picture book that sensitively broaches the subject of keeping our children safe from sexual interference.

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