nightnurse2

Can anyone help!
My son's teacher was telling me about safe houses, which are selected houses within housing estates where children can go if they feel unsafe whilst playing out. Tried to do a search but kept getting women's refuges! Has anyone heard of these? Would be interested to find out.

Tracey

spalen

They have yellow signs up outside them with 'safe house' written on hit. They are oft around schools etc, and there are often posters/signs up saying "this is a safe house area".

Try googling for kids safety or something - they're bound ot be a council initiative and regulated so perhaps look in those websites.

renth

Here U go:

http://www.afp.gov.au/afp/page/Preve...House/Home.htm

Safety House Program

Safety House is a community based program providing a safer environment for our children and citizens. Safety House has grown directly from the concerns of parents for the safety of children and other vulnerable members of the community.

The program was first introduced in the North Dandenong area of Victoria in 1979 and is now operating successfully in all states and territories, with approximately 70,000 Safety Houses throughout Australia.

Safety House is about a person's safety. It enables people to identify a Safe House where they can seek refuge, should they feel unsafe, threatened or unsure.

The Safety House logo, a smiling house on a yellow background is chosen to represent a warm, friendly place that is easily identified. A Safety House can be a house, shop or business where assistance will be provided to anyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why would a Safety House be used?

The three most common reasons for help being sought from a Safety House are:

* bullying;
* being lost; and
* being approached or followed.

If a child or elderly person finds themselves in need of a Safety House, all they need to do is knock on the door to know they will get all the assistance they require. Police checks are undertaken on the occupants of the premises before they are accepted as Safety Householders.

Any member of the community can offer their house or business premises as a Safety House. A Safety Householder is not expected to solve the problem, only to assess the situation and contact the appropriate person/s who could be a parent, babysitter, friend, relative, Ambulance or Police.

Safety House can only work if members of the community participate in the program. You can do this by becoming a Safety House and joining a committee in your area.

nightnurse2

Thanks for that Renth, try to send you Karma!

Tracey

spalen

Our kids have just had their second lock down practise...seems like it is a normal procedure here, the kids are alerted by a specific song on the pa system and they have to get under their desks and the teacher sits and guards the door! The first time it freaked the kids out a bit but they are used to it now.

Mrs S

MrsDagboy

I wonder what all that is about - I asked our boys if they did it at their school & they were adamant that they have never done it. Fire drills, yes, but no procedure for lockdown or anything similar. Wonder why one state school does it & another doesnt?

Mrs JFW

What a fantastic idea! Could do with this initiative in UK! wouldn't feel so concerned about my kids walking home from school, playing out etc...