We believe that the 7 Steps to Safety is something that should be a constant conversation, and we are constantly referring to our poster. Parents can also start the conversation about the 7 steps by helping their children listen to their early warning signs (how their bodies feel) and trust their feelings and instincts. Using everyday activities, such as preparing meals and snacks, going for walks, playing, and shopping, can be a perfect opportunity to start conversations about how we may feel in certain situations and who we can go to when something has happened or we feel a certain way, for example, people who are wearing badges like police officers, or shop assistants, ect. Modelling good communication is also important in your children’s formative years, as they help build confidence and self-esteem and show the importance of mutual appreciation and respect. By modelling good communication, we lay the foundation for what healthy communication looks like in future relationships, workplaces, and our everyday lives.
The 7 steps to safety ensure that the children know how to communicate their feelings, get support from their friends and family around them, and trust their feelings and tell someone when they are feeling sad, happy, worried, or scared. When talking about the 7 steps to safety with children, we put a big focus on the buddy system, and the last step is that parents need help too. It is important that the children understand that sometimes our parents and/or carers can feel the different emotions that we feel. Lastly, the buddy system ensures that the children have someone to call on or tell if something has happened.
If you are looking for further information or would like to do the training yourself, visit In Safe Hands at https://www.insafehands.net.au.
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