The right to be safe

This month Battlefords Early Childhood Community Planning Network would like to focus on the fourth right listed on the Battlefords Children’s Charter – The Right to be Safe.

According to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, feeling safe and secure is number two on his list. Feeling safe remains a basic need to all humans and – even more importantly – children. Before a child can move through the third, fourth and fifth needs listed by Maslow, they must be able to have their physical needs met along with feeling safe in their home, at school and in their everyday lives. Having people around them who make them feel safe is necessary. To a child this could simply mean having someone there to help and guide them when they need it.

The dictionary explains safety as being “secure from liability to harm, injury, danger or risk.” For some children, the risk of being in danger may start in the home, for others it may start in the community. Feeling safe has different definitions for many different people. The BECCPN team, who put together the Battlefords Children’s Charter, had a chance to ask some children what safety and feeling safe meant to them. These are some of the quotes from the children:

“To live without fear in a community committed to freedom and peace.”

“To be free from neglect, bullying, racism and exploitation.”

To not “hurt your bones, get scrapes or lose too much blood.”

To “not be scared, nervous, or worried – know who to trust and who I am with makes me feel safe.”

We, the community of the Battlefords and surrounding areas, are fortunate enough to have many local businesses and community-based organizations determined to assist in keeping the children of our city safe. These organizations and businesses will be participating in the annual Teddy Bear Clinic hosted by Battlefords Early Childhood Intervention Program Friday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the park next to the North Battleford Library. This year’s theme for the Teddy Bear Clinic will be around how we can work together to keep our children safe.

If you are unable to attend the clinic please take a look at the following options on how we, as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and community members, can help in keeping our children safe:

• Ask children what feeling safe means to them;

• Ask children to give you examples of the last time they truly felt safe and secure;

• Teach children how to be safe at home, school and in the community. Start with looking both ways before crossing the street and make sure to include online safety;

• Have emergency contacts readily available to children. Teach them when it is appropriate to dial 911.

– This submission is the fifth in a series prompted by Battlefords Early Childhood Community Planning Network