On Tuesday 16th May, several grade one students at Bundaberg Central State School learnt how to keep themselves safe, thanks to a snapshot free protective behaviours program supported by Act for Kids.
Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends equips children with lifelong practical skills to proactively protect themselves. Children learn how to articulate their feelings, identify trusted adults and learn what to do when they feel unsafe.
Early findings indicate that children would be more likely to respond in a safe manner to unsafe situations, including hypothetical situations with risks of bullying, abuse and sexual assault said Mr Thomas Mcintyre, Regional Director for Act for Kids.
Its a sad fact the one child every 12 minutes experiences abuse or neglect in Australia to such a degree that authorities step in.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Child protection Australia 2015-16, 45,714* children were confirmed as abused or neglected in Australia, an increase on the year before.
The Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends program empowers kids to keep themselves safe in a fun, interactive way, by enhancing their knowledge and skills and all children deserved to feel safe in the community.
The program is activity based, fun and interactive and has received very positive feedback from teachers whose classes have participated in the program kids retain the knowledge and feel empowered, said Mr Thomas Mcintyre.
It is taught at school through weekly one-hour workshops over five weeks.
Funding for the Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends program to date has been totally reliant on organisational fundraising, donations and sponsorship.
Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends has so far been delivered to over 16,200 kids across Australia.