Safety Rocks
01273 411613 www.safety-net.org.uk www.safetynetkids.org.uk
Summer Newsletter 2013
Working with communities to Keep Children Safe Tips for going up to secondary school Lots of parents and children worry about moving up to secondary school. Here are some top tips from young people in Year 7:-
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Welcome to Safety Rocks A newsletter to help keep children and young people safer in Brighton & Hove
National Child Safety Week Competition Each year, Safety Net supports Child Safety Week which this year takes place 24 – 30th June. The theme this is ‘Be a Safety Hero’. Safety Net is running a competition to ask children in Brighton and Hove who their Safety Heroes are. This could be anyone they feel keeps them safe, e.g. someone who works at the school, someone in the community, a parent, a police officer or a nurse etc. Simply; 1) Download a Competition Entry Form from our website home page www.safety-net.org.uk 2) Ask your child to draw a picture of their Safety Hero and say why they have chosen them. Three lucky winners will win an engraved iPod shuffle and, along with nine runners up, have their images used for Safety Net’s Calendar in 2014. Calendars go out to families across the city and children’s artwork will be exhibited later in the year. Post your entries in to us (address over) - the deadline is Sunday 7 July 2013.
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Plan ahead – practice your journey to school over the summer holidays before you have to do it Meet friends before you get on the bus and stay with them when you get on Find out who you know is going to be in your tutor group There will be other people in your tutor group who are going to the same lesson as you, stick with them! Be brave enough to talk to new people Remember everyone feels a bit scared & it’s ok to ask questions if you get lost or forget something Talk to someone at school or home if you feel worried
Teach your child to problem solve for themselves. Practice ‘what if…’ questions to help them see what their options might be in different situations. For example, what would they do if they got lost on their way to a lesson or if they missed the school bus? Help them to get organised – have a checklist of things they need to remember to take with them and stick it up on a wall so you don’t have to nag! Include pencils and pens as secondary schools don’t provide them. Provide healthy snacks to keep them going, as there are longer breaks between mealtimes, Eating regularly helps concentration.
Here Comes Summer! Over the summer holidays children and young people are likely to be out and about more than usual. Teach your children Safety Questions to ask themselves in any situation;
Does this feel like a safe thing to do? Does an adult I live with know Who I am with? Where I am? and When I will be back? Can I get help if I need it?
Stuck for things to do over the summer? Read on…… The Brighton & Hove Playbus brings exciting play opportunities to communities all across the city. The service, delivered by trained and dedicated play workers, is free and open to everyone. Children of all abilities and backgrounds get the chance to play together and make new friends. www.facebook.com/BHCCPlaybus Why not arrange to meet another family in the park when the Playbus is there? Safety Net will also be around for some of the sessions we look forward to seeing you there!
For lots of information about activities for children and young people in Brighton and Hove this summer make sure you get your copy of ‘Summer Fun 2013’ which is available on the Brighton and Hove web-site: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk
For loads of ideas of things to do come rain or shine check out the Nature Detectives website;
www.naturedetectives.org.uk
Parenting Tips For Summer Sanity! To make the most of your summer holidays, remember the Safety Net Tips & don’t forget: FUN CAN BE FREE! Plan: know your activities for the week ahead Be Patient: try to ignore minor misbehavior, if it all gets too much, talk to a friend or someone you trust Praise: your child for good behaviour Practical: Make use of the information & resources that are out there Be Prepared: for trips out, have some simple rules in place, take activities for car journeys, plan the week ahead Peaceful: take some down time - it is important for you and your children. Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself, you are doing your best Look out for Triple P parenting discussion groups next term at your child’s primary school. These groups offer parents a chance to think about how to manage the tricky aspects of parenting that we all struggle with and gives handy tips that have been proven to work. There are also 18 parenting talks which are happening across the city in June and July. Go to www.brighton-hove.gov.uk , look at ‘What’s on’ or call us for details. Share your top tips for keeping children safe and happy this summer! There will be a Prize Draw on July 12th for 2 lucky entrants to win a £25 ASDA voucher. Send your tips to: events@safety-net.org.uk
Make a holiday activity planner so that you know when you have things planned over the summer and where there are gaps you need to fill.
How do I know if a club that my child attends is safe? Questions to ask:
Are staff checked with the Disclosure and Barring Service (previously the CRB)? Are staff trained and experienced? Do they have policies and procedures in place to keep children safe? Are they registered with Ofsted? Will there be a qualified First Aider available?
Safety Net needs YOU! As a registered charity, Safety Net depends on people just like you. Please give what you can to help keep children safe. You can donate instantly and securely via our website at www.safety-net.org.uk/supportus/donateonline or by Text Message to SNET41(space), followed by the amount to 70070, e.g. SNET41 £10 THANK YOU! Safety Net, Manor Offices, Emmaus, Drove Road, Portslade, BN41 2PA. Tel: 01273 411613
Registered Charity No. 1108772