School-Based Prevention: Safety Smarts
Since 2007, we have been teaching elementary students to recognize, refuse, and report unsafe touches and behavior through a school-based training program called Safety Smarts. Currently, we educate K-4 students in Fort Collins, Wellington, and Timnath and are expanding more each year. Our instructors use an evidence-informed curriculum to teach students about general safety rules, owning their bodily safety, and how to recognize, refuse, and report attempts to touch them in an inappropriate or unsafe way. We teach classes in both English and Spanish.
In the 2018-2019 school year, over 6,200 students participated in Safety Smarts. Our instructors meet with individual classrooms weekly for 6 weeks. All of the lessons are interactive and include role playing, questions and answers, listening to stories, and singing songs. We currently provide Safety Smarts in 26 public and charter elementary schools.
Why Should My School Request Safety Smarts?
In 2020, there were nearly 13,000 substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect in Colorado (Department of Human Services). The majority of the interviews we perform each year are referred to us for child sexual abuse allegations. About 2/3 of our cases in 2020 involved kids 12 years old or younger and nearly all (98%) of their abusers were a family member, family friend or a person of trust. In many cases, children will not tell about their abuse because of fear of the perpetrator, possible consequences of telling, self-blame and lack of skills.
National studies estimate that one in ten children will be victims of sexual abuse by age 18 an only 1/3 of those cases are identified, but even fewer are reported. Safety Smarts teaches children the skills necessary to understand what safe and unsafe touches are, how to recognize an unsafe touch, how to refuse by forcefully saying “No!” and how to report it by telling a trusted adult(s). Each year, children disclose their own abuse because of what they learn in Safety Smarts.
Safety Smarts and COVID-19
Since the pandemic, our traditional in-person Safety Smarts lessons have had to evolve. Now, we provide this crucial training online to accommodate remote/hybrid learners a
nd classrooms. When we deliver Safety Smarts in person, our team maintains all the recommended safety practices to protect the health of students and staff.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Our Unique Special Education Curriculum
At an even larger risk are children with developmental disabilities who are three times more likely to be sexually abused than others. VCCAC also provides a unique curriculum for developmentally delayed students. In 2019 we provided this curriculum to 27 Special Education Students.
Each year we have a significant increase of requests for Safety Smarts, but are often not able to accommodate because of the lack of resources. To learn how to support these programs, please click here.
Reactions from Classroom Teachers:
“This program was fantastic. My students really enjoyed it. I did have a student make a report, so I am thankful that the student was given the tools to ask for help.”
“Our Safety Smarts teacher was absolutely outstanding. She was excellent with children, knew exactly what to say/do/respond and handled the curriculum in an outstanding manner. We could not have been more happy with her… exceptional!”
“I think all of these lessons are important, and I am very happy that my class can participate in these lessons each year. Thank you for providing the instructors and class! “
If you would like more information about Safety Smarts for your school, please email Ana Pasini at ana@new.voicescarrycac.org.