Keeping children safe

Workshops helping children to protect themselves from potential predators will be conducted in Busselton next month.

Delivered by school psychologist Brad Nugent, the sessions will teach children self-protective skills using child friendly and age appropriate language.

Mr Nugent said childhood should be about growing, learning and playing but statistics had shown up to one in four Australian children are victims of abuse.

“This is why I am so passionate about getting the message out there to as many kids as possible, especially in regional areas,” he said.

Mr Nugent said the traditional “stranger danger” message did not resonate well with children often, and children needed to be taught skills to stay safe in any situation.

“We now know that stranger danger simply doesn’t work, this is mainly because young children do not understand the concept of strange,” he said.

“Even when they are taught about it, children persist in thinking that strangers are mean-looking men who have scars and drive black cars.

“We know that predators do not fit this profile, around 97 per cent of sex crimes against children are not committed by strangers at all.”

To register, e-mail southwestacademic@live.com.au or call 0426 892 014.