As a new school year begins, parents and caregivers have a lot to think about. New teachers, new classrooms, new routines and keeping children safe. Child safety is something we can all work on together. Parents, caregivers, teachers, school staff and children each have a role to play. Here are seven simple safety tips to help your child start the school year feeling safe, prepared and supported.1
- Keep Communication Open: One of the best ways to help protect children is to make sure they know they can talk to you. Let your child know they can come to you if something makes them feel worried, confused or uncomfortable. This could be something that happens at school, with friends, online, or anywhere else.
- Plan a Safe Route to School: If your child walks or rides a bike to school, take some time to plan a safe route together. Choose routes that avoid busy roads and dangerous intersections when possible. Practice the route together until your child feels comfortable.
- Talk About Personal Safety: Children of all ages can learn about personal safety. These conversations should change as children grow, but the message stays the same: your child has the right to feel safe. Rather than focusing only on “stranger danger,” help your child understand that unsafe situations can involve people they know and those they do not know.
- Teach Digital and AI Safety: Children spend more time online than ever before. They may use social media, games, apps, websites, and AI tools for both fun and school. Talk with your child about staying safe online. Be aware that AI can create pictures, videos, and audio that look or sound real even when they are not.
- Know Important Emergency Information: Make sure your child knows their full name and how to reach a parent or caregiver. Children should learn: a parent or caregiver’s phone number, home address and who they can safely ask for help. Encourage children to memorize important contact information instead of relying only on a phone or other device.
- Talk About Bullying: Bullying can happen in person or online. Talking about it early can help children know what to do if they experience or see it. Remind your child that being kind and respectful matters. At the same time, make sure they know that bullying is not something they have to handle alone. Let your child know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
- Be Ready for Emergencies: Schools often review emergency plans at the beginning of the school year. You can help by talking about these plans at home, too. Your child does not need to know every possible emergency. The goal is to help them understand that being prepared and staying calm can help them make safe choices.
Back-to-school safety is not just about rules. It is about building trust, teaching children what to do when something feels wrong, and making sure they know there are adults who will listen and help. If you are interested in becoming an Advocate for the Innocent member and gaining access to our Resource Center ($10/month or $99/annually), visit https://advocatefortheinnocent.org/memberships/.
1 – https://www.centerforsafeschools.org/7-back-to-school-safety-tips-every-parent-should-know/
2 – Image by Pressfoto by Freepik/Magnific