“The most important thing for a child is to feel safe and secure. If that has been taken away from the child, it is up to the parents and adults to bring them back to being children again,” UNICEF
Every kid has the basic need to be loved and protected, to feel safe and to be able to enjoy childhood. Adults need to try their best to ensure that the children are happy and healthy through positive messages about themselves. Adults also need to help children to manage how they feel and express their feelings when they want to: love and support is what is going to help children the most. The only challenge would be: who to call and where to go.
Every kid has the basic need to be loved and protected, to feel safe and to be able to enjoy childhood. Adults need to try their best to ensure that the children are happy and healthy through positive messages about themselves. Adults also need to help children to manage how they feel and express their feelings when they want to: love and support is what is going to help children the most. The only challenge would be: who to call and where to go.
How to find a Safe Adult
|
We must help the kid to think about the people he/she trust and feel safe around them. These people could be their: mum, dad, caregiver, adult friend, adult neighbor, grandma, grandad, teacher, auntie or uncle, or an older brother or sister.
Then help them to think about other people who he/she may not know but you think he/she can be a Safe Adult because of the job that they do. They may be: policemen or women, the welfare coordinator at school, the minister or leader of your church, temple or synagogue, his/hers parents' friends, his/ her friends' parents, a doctor. https://www.cardiniasafetnet.com.au/who-can-you-talk-to |
|
The Helping Hand: draw a hand and put the five trusted adults with their phone numbers in the fingers.
To have a Safety/Emergency plan around is very useful:
https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/safety-planner/
To have a Safety/Emergency plan around is very useful:
https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/safety-planner/
How to recognize a Protector
|
Here we share a few indicators that can help you to recognize a safe adult, he/she must be:
|
How to find a shelter if you are an adult
|
Every shelter and safe housing program is different, but their main purpose is for you to feel safe in a private location. They have no fees and offer support for children and adults. Your information will be private and will not be shared with other agencies unless you give your written permission. You will be asked to honor the privacy of other program participants by not discussing their names or situations with anyone else.
Shelters offer food, clothing, linens and toiletries. |
If you are in Canada and you need to find a shelter for you, call 2-1-1 or visit https://www.sheltersafe.ca/
Have you heard about B.A.C.A. ?
|
"Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (B.A.C.A.) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. They exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. They stand ready to lend support to their wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. They work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children." They are in 19 countries. If you want to know more about them please visit: https://bacaworld.org/ |