Schools have always been a safe place for children, and parents feel at ease knowing their children are at school. But, in the last few years, the situation has changed (to some extent). The increased incidents of violence at schools are worrying. There are many reported cases of children being bullied, harmed physically, mentally, or even sexually. The recent news about violence between students and the death of a student is still fresh in everyone’s minds.
Parents can’t be with their children to watch over them at all times at school. So, it is natural to worry about their safety. So, how can you ensure your child’s safety at school?
Learn about your child’s school
Look up the safety policies of your child’s school. Check whether there are any past incidents of bullying or other forms of violence. Also, make sure there are safety measures and emergency procedures set in place for student safety. You can learn about it by checking the school’s website or by talking to the administrative staff.
Self-defence lessons
Knowing how to defend yourself can help your children in emergencies and keep them safe, especially in incidents of bullying and violence at school or abuse. Self-defence is not limited to fighting physically- it can also be the skills to diffuse a situation without escalating to violence. It can also help your children gain self-confidence and self-discipline. Nowadays, there are many self-defence classes available you can choose from, or you can talk to the PTA about setting up one via the school.
Talk to your child’s school authorities or PTA
Talk with other parents and the school authorities to form an action plan to prevent violence and harm against students at school.
- Counselling sessions
Ensure that there is a counsellor available to students at school. You can talk to the PTA about this and start regular counselling sessions for students. It can be a great way to identify potential issues and solve them before they get out of hand.
- Anti-bullying lookout
If there are concerns about bullying, you can ask the school authorities to form anti-bullying watch groups and monitor the situation. It might be better to get the students involved and offer them support.
- Safety classes
Ask the school staff to conduct safety classes on different topics to make the children aware of them. Teach them about what to do in different situations, about first aid, violence amongst students, sexual abuse and harassment, traffic safety, fire safety, and so on.
- Check-in regularly
Talk to your child’s teachers and counsellors regularly. Talk to them about your child’s behaviour at home and ask them about their actions at school. Knowing about it can help you form a comprehensive idea about the state of your child’s mind. That way, if there is any need for concern, you can take suitable action.
Watch for signs
Ask teachers to look out for signs of trouble among students. Inform them of any issues or concerns your child raises at home. Also, look out for signs in your child that might indicate that they are troubled at school. It can include reluctance to go to classes, missing school supplies, bruises, unexplained injuries, and depression. If you notice any of these, let the school authorities know immediately and talk to them about the further steps.
Digital records
Issues at school and other matters affecting your children often leave digital records. If they are bullied or harassed, there might be threatening or abusive text messages, insulting posts on their phones or online accounts. If you feel anything is wrong, look into it without invading their privacy.
Talk to your children
Put aside time every day to spend with your children. Talk to them and ask about their day. Establishing a personal relationship with your children is key to them opening up about their troubles to you. Offer them support if they are troubled. Listen without being judgemental. In the case of any issue your child is facing, look into it and decide whether it is something they can solve on their own, and if so, then encourage them and advise them on what to do. If not, then get involved. If you think more help is required, reach out to others- teachers or even a mental health expert. If you find out your child is being threatened, harmed, or abused, seek out proper authorities and file a complaint.
Teach your children about safe practices
Teach your children what they need to stay safe when they are by themselves. Establish routines and practices they have to follow like fixed travel routes, steps to follow in an emergency, emergency numbers to contact, etc. These can help your child stay safe.
Some useful contacts :
Emergency Services:
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) ambulance and Fire Service- 995
Non-Emergency Ambulance Service- 1777
Police Emergencies- 999
Police Emergency SMS- 71999
Police Hotline- 1800 225 0000
Helplines:
National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868
National Anti-Violence Helpline (NAVH)- 1800-777 0000
Mental Health Helpline/ Mobile Crisis Service- 6389 2222 (24 hrs)
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS)- 1800 221 4444
Some other contacts you might find handy:
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
Touchline (TOUCH Youth Services)- 1800-377-2252
Singapore Association for Mental Health – 1800 283 7019
Child Guidance Clinic (CGC)- 6368 2000
Above everything, teach your children to treat everyone with respect. It can help solve most issues that might arise among students.
With care and caution, you can keep your children safe. We hope these tips help you and your children in leading a safe and happy life! 🙂
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Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
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