Family Support Line provides a variety of developmentally-appropriate personal safety programs for children and youth.
Pre-School/Elementary-Aged Children
Personal Safety Program Objectives
- Be able to give examples of times when privacy is important.
- Know what they can say if someone intrudes when they need privacy.
- Know that some parts of the body are private and should not be touched or looked at by others.
- Know what they can do if someone makes them uncomfortable or breaks a touching rule.
- Recognize that it’s not a child’s fault if someone else breaks a touching rule.
- Know that they don’t have to keep a secret that makes them feel bad or uncomfortable.
- Be able to identify adults they can talk to if someone breaks a touching rule or makes them uncomfortable.
Cybersafety Basics Program Objectives
- Be able to identify types of “personal information” that should not be shared with people they meet via the internet or social media
- Understand how to use technology in ways that promote positive relationships.
- Understand how to safely use social media and gaming platforms
- Be able to identify risky posts, messages, and situations involving communication technology.
- Understand the importance of seeking help from trusted adults if they or someone they know is experiencing cyber-bullying, harassment, or upsetting/inappropriate communications.
- Know how to respond to cyber-bullying, harassment, and other online behaviors that make them feel upset, confused, or uncomfortable.
Anti-Bullying Program Objectives
- Be able to identify bullying behaviors.
- Describe how it feels to be the target of bullying.
- Identify strategies that targets and bystanders can use when bullying occurs.
- Identify trusted adults who can help address bullying
Healthy Relationships Program Objectives
- Describe different types of relationships (e.g., family, friends, acquaintances, romantic, professional). vIdentify qualities that they consider most important in different types of relationships.
- Be able to identify qualities and behaviors in others that are not conducive to healthy relationships.
- Be better prepared to clearly and effectively communicate their feelings and personal boundaries.
Pre-Teens & Adolescents
Personal Safety Program Objectives
- Know that they have the right to be in charge of their body and personal space.
- Understand tricks that sexual offenders may use to lure victims.
- Understand the importance of not keeping hurtful secrets.
- Know the importance of reporting abuse until someone understands and helps.
- Know that uncomfortable touch and boundary violations are never the young person’s fault.
Sexual Harassment Program Objectives
- Understand what constitutes “sexual harassment.
- Know that sexual harassment is against school policies and the law.
- Be able to identify how harassment may affect individuals emotionally.
- Learn what to do if they/someone they know is being harassed.
- Recognize that anyone can be harassed.
- Understand that harassment is not the fault of the person being harassed.
Cyberbullying/Healthy Relationships Program Objectives
- Understand how to use technology in ways that promote positive relationships and helps avoid relationship difficulties.
- Understand how cyber-bullying/harassment affects targets.
- Know how to respond to cyber-bullying, harassment, stalking, and other abuses.
- Understand the importance of seeking help from trusted adults if they or someone they know is experiencing cyber-bullying, harassment, stalking, or upsetting communications.
Cybersafety Basics Program Objectives
- Understand how to use technology safely and in ways that promote positive relationships.
- Know how to respond to cyber-bullying, harassment, and stalking.
- Understand the social, legal, financial, and personal risks associated with sexting and other explicit/graphic material.
- Understand the importance of seeking help from trusted adults if they or someone they know is experiencing cyber-bullying, harassment, stalking, hacking, or inappropriate sexual communications.
- Know why it can be dangerous to meet or give out personal information to people met in cyberspace or through social media.
- Understanding the risks when engaging in online gaming via online platforms or gaming consoles.
Cybersafety Strategies Program Objectives
- Know how to respond to cyber-bullying, harassment, stalking, and other abuses.
- Understand the social, legal, financial, and personal risks associated with sexting, sexually explicit photos/videos, and other explicit/graphic material.
- Understand the importance of seeking help from trusted adults if they or someone they know is experiencing cyber-bullying, harassment, stalking, hacking, or upsetting communications.
- Identify strategies that online predators use to manipulate potential victims.
Healthy Relationships Program Objectives
- Understand what qualities to look for in others when choosing friends and dates.
- Understand that healthy relationships involve many of the same important dynamics as real friendships – and are not based solely on physical attraction.
- Be able to identify qualities and behaviors in others that are not conducive to healthy relationships.</
- Be aware of the problems that can arise when an individual communicates mixed messages
- Be better prepared to clearly and effectively communicate their feelings and personal boundaries.
- Know dating rules that help ensure safety.
Programs for Parents/Caregivers/Community Members
Talking to Your Child Abuse Personal Safety Program Objectives
- Know the dynamics and potential effects of child sexual abuse.
- Know how sexual offenders target and groom child and adolescent victims.
- Be better prepared to talk to children about personal safety and touch.
- Be able to identify physical and behavioral signs that sexually abused children and teens may exhibit.
- Know how to recognize and address situations in which someone has failed to maintain appropriate social boundaries or engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior around children or teens.
- Know how to respond to a child’s disclosure of sexual abuse.
- Know how to report suspected/known child sexual abuse to the appropriate authorities.
- Be better prepared to support and care for a child who has been sexually abused.
Cybersafety: Helping Kids Stay Safer & Develop Important Skills Program Objectives
- Recognize the range of technologies and social media that children and youth use – and how they can be used to bully, abuse, exploit children and youth.
- Recognize how a child’s use of technology and social media can place them at increased risk of abuse, exploitation, harassment, or long-term damage to their reputation.
- Learn about techniques that help ensure that their child uses technology more safely and in ways that promote healthy development and positive relationships.
- Know how to respond to cyber-bullying, harassment, and stalking.
- Understand the social, legal, and personal risks associated with sexting, explicit photos/videos, and sexually explicit communications.
Talking with Kids about Sexuality & Explicit Media in the Digital Age Program Objectives
- Recognize how technology facilitates children’s exposure to explicit sexual content.
- Understand the social, legal, and personal risks associated with youth-produced sexually explicit photos, videos, and communications.
- Identify strategies that online predators use to manipulate potential victims.
- Identify steps they can take to help children and youth make sense of explicit content they encounter through technology.
- Learn strategies to encourage children’s use of technology in ways that promote safety, healthy development, and positive relationships.