CHSBC

How to keep your children safe

Positive parenting

The importance of the role that parents and carers play in the lives of children can never be overstated. All parents want the best of their children and adopting a positive parenting style will help with achieving this. However, parenting can be stressful and as a parent your own behaviour can affect your child's physical, mental and emotional well-being. Learning new and effective ways to parent can effect positive changes in your child's behaviour and can also make you feel empowered as a parent. For further information on positive parenting and on parenting programmes (see links on the right for more guidance).

Keeping your child safe

Parents will want to ensure that their children are safe in all environments e.g. play schemes, youth clubs or when out alone. There are a number of reading materials and website that provide information for parents on how to ensure that your child safe in a range of different environments (see links on the right for more guidance).

Online safety

Using the internet and mobile phones are a normal part of our lives and children are well adept at using them. Whilst using the internet can be an educational and fun experience for children, there are times when it can pose a risk. Therefore, as a parent it is important that you monitor your children us of the internet, understand the risks involved and teach them online safety skills (see links on the right for more guidance).

Safety in sport

It is important to know that abuse can happen in different places e.g. at a school, youth club or sports club. As a parent you play an important role in ensuring that the sports club and sporting activities your child is engaged in are safe. To find out more about what you can do contact the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit.

Tips on questions to ask include

• Does the organisation have a Child Protection Policy?
• Does the sports club ensure that all staff and volunteers have an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check?
• Does the sports club provide training and education?
• What safeguarding arrangements are in place for activities away from home?
• What safeguards does the club put in place to protect children?

To find out more download the following leaflet

Child safety in the home

Children may have accidents in many different environments e.g. at school or transportation, but most accidents occur within the home. The DirectGov website has a ‘Child safety in the home’ page which provides information about child safety covering subjects such as: poisons, burns and scalds, trips and falls, fire safety and road and cycle safety (see link on the right).

If you are worried about about a child's safety or you are worried you might harm a child, please click here.