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KID'S CORNER
Safety Assist
Kids as Pedestrians
Riding Bicycles
Travelling on Buses
Online Safety Rules for Kids
Water Safety
Websites Links for Kids
What is Safety Assist ?
A Safety Assist location is a place where you can go for help if you feel unsafe, frightened or unsure. The people in a Safety Assist place have had special police and community checks so you know that they are safe people who can be trusted to help you. Tell everyone at home that any body, any age can go to a Safety Assist at any time of the day or night to get help.
A Safety Assist location can be:
A house
A shop
A business premise
A shopping centre
A hospital
A fire station
A public transport bus
Any other place that displays the Safety Assist sign
When might I need to use a Safety Assist location?
You might be away from home and going to the shops, or to school, or playing at the playground without an adult. Go to a Safety Assist place whenever you need help. You could be:
Frightened by someone
Feeling unsafe
hurt
lost
being bullied
feeling scared
frightened by animals
approached by a stranger who makes you feel unsafe
being watched or followed
in need of help for any other reason
When you are out walking, riding or playing, Safety Assist is there to help keep you safe. Look for the Safety Assist locations in your community. Many areas have street signs pointing towards the nearest Safety Assist place. The street number of the Safety Assist location might also be on this sign.
How do I find a Safety Assist place?
Look for the Safety Assist sign. The sign could be:
On a letterbox
Near the front of a house
On a shop or business
On a bus
How do I use Safety Assist?
At a house: Go to the front door and knock loudly or ring the doorbell
A bus: Wave down a Safety Assist bus anywhere along its route
Other: Go to the front counter or look for one of the people working at the Safety Assist place
Tell the person what your problem is and why you feel unsafe. The Safety Assist person will get help for you.
Feeling unsure?
Be wary of strangers. If a situation doesnt feel right, ask yourself these three questions:
1. Do I feel safe with this person?
2. Do my parents know where I am?
3. Can I get help if I need it?
If you answer NO to any one of these questions, DON'T GO. Remember - One no, dont go.
You have the right to be safe. Always. For more information on how to stay safe for kids and games please visit www.safercommunities.asn.au
Kids as Pedestrians
Children can be hit by cars by running into traffic, playing on or around driveways, playing in the street, and making errors of judgement when crossing the street. Before about the age of ten, children have not yet developed the skills and knowledge to handle risky situations. Their impulsive actions can often take drivers by surprise. It is a mistake to assume that children can handle traffic risks by themselves, without help from parents. Parents can help in the following ways, bearing in mind the age and developmental stage of the child:
Set clear limits for where they can walk safely.
Find places away from streets, driveways or parking lots - choose locations such as fenced areas, parks and playgrounds.
Practise how to cross the street safely in every day situations such as going to the shops, visiting a friend or going to school.
Always set a good example by crossing a street properly and using crossing facilities where available.
Teach them the basic elements of crossing safely, using the Stop, Look, Listen, Think approach.
Stop one step back from the kerb
Look and listen for traffic
Decide whether it is safe to cross
keep looking and listening during the crossing.
Talk about road rules in simple terms so that the child understands the reasons for various restrictions and what can happen when rules are broken.
Teach your child to get in and out of the car on the kerb side, avoiding the dangers from passing cars.
Riding Bicycles
Rules that apply to all vehicles must be obeyed when riding on the road. There are also some additional rules for bicycle riders. Talk to your child about these rules in simple terms that help them to understand why they are needed. In the early stages, supervise a child closely when near parked or moving vehicles. This means being near your child, not at a distance. Set a good example and show your child safe ways to cross streets.
Encourage a child to start wearing a helmet at an early stage - with their first tricycles.
Until a child has enough experience, limit riding to places such as parks, playgrounds or schoolyards; children under nine years of age should not ride on the road without adult supervision.
Ensure that a helmet is always worn properly when riding a bicycle; it can greatly reduce the risk of head injury.
The helmet should cover the upper part of the forehead and sit level on the head. A helmet worn too far back or not fitted snugly will not provide good protection.
Together find the preferred routes to various destinations that provide safe crossing places, for example, intersections controlled by traffic lights; avoid places that can hide a child from a drivers view (such as curves or bushes).
Travelling on Buses
School buses are a safe way for children to go to and from school. Most accidents involving buses happen to pedestrians at bus stops before the bus arrives or after it has driven away. While behaviour on the bus is important, what children do before and after travelling on a bus is crucial. Children should be encouraged to:
Stand well back at the bus stop until it has stopped completely. The bus may have an over-hang at the front that can extend over the gutter when pulling in to stop.
Wait until the bus has moved off before crossing. This gives other drivers passing by the chance to see a pedestrian more clearly and for pedestrians to have a clear view of traffic.
Choose a safe place to cross the road, not in front of the bus or between parked cars.
Online Safety Rules For Kids
I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parent's work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents' permission.
I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.
I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.
I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way makes me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do, I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the online service.
I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of the day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
Water Safety
Swimming Pool
Obey signs giving advice to swimmers.
Listen to the pool lifeguards.
Stay away from the deep end, unless you can swim well.
Make sure the water is clear of swimmers before jumping in.
Play safely.
Do not run around the pool edge.
Check the depth markings on the poolside before diving.
Beach
The safest place to swim at the beach is between the red and yellow flags.
Mark a reference point on the shore, to avoid drifting.
Always read The Surf Conditions Board.
If you think conditions are too rough for you, don't go in.
Always swim with a friend, never alone.
Swim parallel to and not away from the shore when you swim long distances.
Swim in well lit areas, so you can be seen if you get into trouble.
For your safety, leave the water immediately when requested by a lifeguard.
For more information about water safety Click here
Here are some safe links for kids :-
Fun and games for kids while travelling by car