Police arm children with tips on how to stay safe

HOPING to create awareness and teach children about personal safety, Brighton Beach police have embarked on its Schools’ Child Protection Roadshow.

Captain Louise le Roux, the police station’s spokesperson, said the objective of the roadshow was to engage and empower foundation phase learners, through multiple interactive activities, on their personal safety.

The programme was launched during March and is expected to be concluded in June.

Le Roux, who created and implemented the roadshow, said she will be engaging with learners from 27 educational institutes in Brighton Beach policing precinct.

“I have since visited 12 educational institutes, with 1 713 learners and 87 teachers being engaged,” she said.

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She added that 1 799 child protection information guides have also been distributed to parents and teachers. Le Roux said during the presentations, the ‘look’, ‘listen’, and ‘learn’ principles are reinforced, with use of foam boards and other visual aids. She said the presentations were based on body safety, what not to touch and stranger interactions.

“The body safety presentation was facilitated through the use of the ‘Jack and Jill’ school boy and girl teddy bears. These new teaching aids were gifted by The Mudpie Company Wool and Haberdashery on The Bluff. The bear team are used as a teaching aid to enhance the learning experience when facilitating the ‘three spots’ body safety presentation.

“The children were taught that their chest and private part areas were not allowed to be touched or hurt by people known and unknown to them. They were told that they must tell their parents and teacher if someone had done this to them,” she said.

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She added that the learners were also taught the ‘I love my body’ song with motion.

“This song reminds children of which body parts were special and to shout out when someone touches them in a bad way,” she said.

Le Roux said during the ‘don’t touch this’ presentation, the learners were instructed to refrain from engaging dogs they meet on the street or who are fenced in.

“They were informed that they should not throw objects at the dogs or tease them. They were also told not to feed wild monkeys or throw objects at them either. Stray cats must also not be engaged. The learners were also instructed to refrain from touching or playing with dangerous objects, such as firearms, gas guns, knives, crackers, glass bottles, candles, matches, lighters, and electrical devices,” she said.

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Le Roux said the ‘stranger danger’ presentation discouraged the learners from engaging with unknown men and women.

“The children were also discouraged from talking, walking, and getting into a motor vehicle with a stranger. They were told to reject offers of money, sweet treats, toys, and novelties from strangers.

“Through this child protection partnership policing initiative with educational institutes, vigilance was achieved, aimed at addressing the threats children are exposed to through an integrated awareness initiative that had educational value,” she said.

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