SayPro protecting children

Description

SayPro protecting children

Parents have an obligation to protect children from:

• abuse,
• neglect,
• exploitation, and
• violence

Every rational parent has an inclination to want to protect their own child from these dangers, however, parents need to be educated on ways to protect both their children and every other child. There are several organisations that can help parents to achieve this, such organisations are also involved in:

• creating child friendly spaces in emergencies
• reunifying separated and unaccompanied children with their families in emergencies
• developing public awareness campaigns against child trafficking
• piloting training programs for social workers to provide supportive care to families and children; and
• advocating for more effective national protection policies and child welfare reform.

Parents need to be actively involved in their children’s lives. Being actively involved in a child’s life can make warning signs of child sexual abuse and other violations of child rights more obvious and help the child feel more comfortable opening up if something isn’t right. Parents can take action to protect children by doing the following:

• Showing interest in their day-to-day lives. Asking them what they did during the day and who they did it with. Who did they sit with at lunchtime? What games did they play after school? Did they enjoy themselves?

• Getting to know the people in the child’s life. Knowing who the child is spending time with, including other children and adults. Asking the child about the kids they go to school with, the parents of their friends, and other people they may encounter, such as teammates or coaches. Talking about these people openly and asking questions so that the child can feel comfortable doing the same.

• Choosing caregivers carefully. Whether it’s a babysitter, a new school, or an afterschool activity, parents need to be diligent about screening caregivers for their children.

• Talking about the media. Incidents of sexual violence are frequently covered by the news and portrayed in television shows. Asking children questions about this coverage to start a conversation is a good idea. Questions like, “Have you ever heard of this happening before?” or “What would you do if you were in this situation?” can signal to children that these are important issues that they can talk about with their parents.
• Knowing the warning signs. Parents need to be familiar with the warning signs of child sexual abuse, and noticing any changes with a child, no matter how small.

When someone knows that their voice will be heard and taken seriously, it gives them the courage to speak up when something isn’t right. Parents can start having these conversations with their children as soon as they begin using words to talk about feelings or emotions. Parents should make sure that they:· Should teach their children about boundaries. Each child must know that no one has the right to touch them or make them feel uncomfortable. Just as importantly, children need to be reminded that they do not have the right to touch someone else if that person does not want to be touched.· Should teach their children how to talk about their bodies. From an early age, children must be taught the names of their body parts. Teaching a child these words gives them the ability to speak up when something is wrong.· Should be available. Parents must set time aside to spend with their children where they have undivided attention. If children have questions or concerns, parents must follow through on their word and make the time to talk.· Let children know they won’t get in trouble. Many perpetrators use secret-keeping or threats as a way of keeping children quiet about abuse.Give children the chance to raise new topics. Sometimes asking direct questions like, “Did you have fun?” and “Was it a good time?” won’t give parents the answers they need. Rather, they should give their children a chance to bring up their own concerns or ideas by asking open-ended questions like “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?”