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Parental Tips on Child Safety
- Try to keep things in perspective. Although there is a lot of media attention to ‘stranger danger’ this is actually very rare.
- Trust is crucial in making decisions: your trust in your own child, other children and in any other adults involved. Trust your own instincts – if you feel anxious try to consider the reasons for this.
- Communicate with your child about their feelings – often children may want their parent to set firm boundaries for them.
- Communicate with other parents; it helps to gauge what is happening amongst your child’s friends. They can also be a source of reassurance.
- Consider any risks and think of ways to limit them, for example with older children, make sure you know where they will be and how they will get home. Make sure children know how to cross roads safely, and that they are clear about ways of keeping safe in the streets.
- Have confidence in your child. Giving them appropriate responsibility and trust is a way of teaching them to be responsible and trusting adults.
- Be age and stage appropriate – what is OK for a 10 year old will be restricting for a 13 year old. So rules have to be reviewed regularly.
