Personal Safety Program
Contact
Caitlin McKenna
Education Coordinator
About the Personal Safety Program
The Personal Safety Program is a free program for Dutchess County schools that provides in-class presentations about sexual abuse prevention to children Pre-K to 5th grade. The program uses age-appropriate presentations to teach children to use their voice and speak out against their abuser. This lesson is considered a “just in case” lesson, similar to how students view fire drills. Just in case something bad happens, the student will know what to do to protect themselves. The program is offered once a year and students learn what to do if someone made them feel uncomfortable and broke the personal safety rules.
Why your school should consider the Personal Safety Program
Typically the child abuser of sexual abuse is someone that the child knows and trusts. This is why it can be difficult for children to speak out and tell. The students learn through the Personal Safety Program that it is never their fault if someone breaks the rules, and that to be a good boss of their bodies they should tell a trusted adult even if the abuser is telling the child to keep it a secret. The students learn the difference between happy and bad secrets, and are taught to never keep in a bad secret.
3rd Grade Student in Dutchess County
Program Details
Grade Pre K-2
- Define and explore types of safe vs. unsafe touches.
- Perform short puppet skits testing comprehension of safe vs. ouch! (unsafe) touches.
- Teach assertiveness skills: students are taught they are the boss of their body.
- Help students identify the areas of their body that are private.
- Define Personal Safety rules that go along with the private parts of their body.
- Discuss their personal body alarm and explore how it would help keep them safe.
- Emphasize the need to tell a trusted adult.
- Define happy, safe secrets vs. unsafe secrets.
- Stand up and practice the safe touch song: Trust your feelings, try to say no, try to walk away, and TELL an adult!
- Perform a puppet show. Students see how a puppet is tricked by an unsafe touch or inappropriate picture, how it makes the puppet feel (scared, troubled, worried), and how telling a trusted adult solves the problem.
Grade 3-5
- Hand out a pre-survey for students to complete.
- Review and summarize Personal Safety Program concepts taught in younger grades.
- Expand on topics such as safe/unsafe secrets, assertiveness skills, and trusting adults.
- Show an age appropriate video which helps guide a discussion about what they should do if someone they love breaks the personal safety rules. Children learn that telling an adult can be very challenging, but always important, to put their safety first.
- Administer a brief survey at the end of every presentation to check the comprehension of the student
- Provide an opportunity to disclose any feelings or unsolved problems they may have.
Video Stories:
- Grade 3: “David Speaks Up” (CPU3 FAMI LYG3)
- Grade 4: “Hannah Keeps Herself Safe” (CPU4 FAMI LYG4)
- Grade 5: “Lee Keeps Himself Safe” (CPU5 FAMI LYG5)
Note to parents: Access is available to the above videos by visiting SecondStep.org and logging in with the activation key (see above) to get more information about what your child has viewed.
Videos: Sponsored by the Committee for Children- Second Step Program, Child Protection Unit
Meet The Puppet Team
Billy the Puppet
Personal Safety Program Star
Sally the Puppet
Personal Safety Program Co-Star
Mr. B. the Puppet
Personal Safety Program Hero
