NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL AREA
Good practice: Play It Safe – development of a teaching programme about child
abuse and neglect for children of all ages
What was the identified issue?
The Child Protection Committee funded the development of the Play It Safe
programme for children aged 3-18 years to support learning and teaching in
nurseries and schools. The aim of the programme is to increase children’s
knowledge and skills about keeping themselves safe as they grow up. The remit
was that it should be designed to be taught as part of the Curriculum for Excellence.
What have staff in services done together?
Cultural Co-ordinators from Education Services in partnership with a theatre
company worked alongside children and their teachers in a primary and secondary
school to develop lesson plans. The programme has been made accessible to staff
on the GLOW website under health and well-being. Training has been provided to
teachers and the programme is due to start being delivered across nurseries and
schools in January 2011. The Child Protection Committee plan to monitor uptake of
the programme and maximise opportunities for its wider application.
What are the benefits for children/young people and families?
The use of drama and imaginative materials have been positively evaluated by
children and their teachers involved in developing the programme. Child protection
issues including physical injury, neglect, emotional abuse and safe use of
communications technology are explored through well structured lessons which help
children feel secure. Children actively engaged in tackling difficult subjects through
the use of innovative approaches. For example, using puppets with younger children
to explore issues of physical neglect and text messages on imitation mobile phones
with young people to discuss ways of responding to risky situations. During the pilot,
a very small number of children who had experienced abuse felt able to speak
confidentially to a trusted member of staff.
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/ViewEstablishment.aspx?id=11858&type=12