Child Safety

 

Introduction

Adults play a central role in keeping children safe. This page brings together resources to help educators and families build children’s understanding of personal safety and protective behaviours, including how to recognise unsafe situations, speak up and seek help from trusted adults.

It also provides guidance for preschools on recognising and responding to child protection concerns, including relevant reporting and support channels.

The resources below complement the guidance in the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) and Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework and are intended to support age-appropriate learning and conversations with children.

 

Help children learn about personal safety

The following resources support age-appropriate conversations and learning experiences on personal safety, protective behaviours, trusted adults, and seeking help. Educators should review each resource before use and adapt facilitation to the children’s developmental needs and centre context.

• KidzLive: I Can Protect Myself Programme by Singapore Children’s Society:
  

  Materials for children aged five to six that reinforce simple protective actions, including speaking up, moving away from an unsafe situation, and telling a trusted adult. The programme includes a caregiver booklet and a video April Learns to Protect Herself.

• Protective Behaviours Resource Kit by PAVE:
  

  A set of learning materials for children aged four to nine, including the Garden of Safety mobile game, a body safety educational video, and the Garden of Safety animated music video.

• Ouchies by Open Government Products:
  

  A children’s e-book that helps preschoolers recognise when something may be wrong and encourages them to seek help..

• *Upcoming* — Ouchies Educator’s Guide by Open Government Products:
  

  The guide to using Ouchies as a shared-reading experience, with suggested activities to extend children’s learning about personal safety and protective behaviours.

 

Build your knowledge and capability

These training opportunities help educators and other adults who work with young children build practical knowledge of protective behaviours, recognise child-safety concerns, respond appropriately, and understand the relevant reporting processes.

• Empowering Children with Body Safety Skills by NIEC:
  

  Supports educators in teaching children about personal safety, respectful boundaries, recognising unsafe situations, and seeking help from a trusted adult. View the course details.

• Teaching Protective Behaviours to Young Children by PAVE:
  

  An online course for educators, families and other adults working with children aged four to nine. Topics covered include feeling safe, emotional literacy, early warning signs, personal boundaries, consent, and building a trusted support network. View the course details.

• Introduction to Sector-Specific Screening Guide by Social Service Institute:
  

  A one-hour e-learning module introducing the screening guide used by professionals to assess child-protection concerns and determine suitable next steps. Case scenarios provide practice in applying the tool. View the course details.

• *Upcoming* —Child Safety and Protection by NIEC:
  

  This training aims to equip educators with foundational knowledge of the relevant standards and procedures on child safety and protection. Learners will also develop essential skills to identify and respond to signs of child abuse and neglect.

 

Responding to Child Protection Concerns

Educators play an important role in recognising and responding to child protection concerns. If you suspect or become aware that a child may be experiencing abuse, follow your preschool’s child protection procedures promptly.

For the full requirements and procedures, refer to Section 10 and Annex F of the ECDC Code of Practice, which sets out the requirements and procedures for reporting suspected or actual child abuse. These include the applicable reporting timelines, use of Sector-Specific Screening Guide (SSSG), and requirements relating to the absence of children with known child protection concerns.

Please refer to the following key resources.

• National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH):
  

  For cases of suspected or actual child abuse by persons who are not the licensees’ staff, preschools are required to report to NAVH either through the hotline 1800-777-0000 or the online reporting form.

• Sector-Specific Screening Guide (SSSG):
  

  Developed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), the SSSG helps trained personnel assess child protection concerns and determine the appropriate follow-up based on a Red, Yellow or Green outcome. Preschools are required to ensure that SSSG-trained personnel (e.g. Centre Principals or an HQ manager) are available to assist with SSSG assessment when needed.

 

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following partners for their invaluable support and contributions:

• Ministry of Social and Family Development, Rehabilitation and Protection Group
• National Institute of Early Childhood Development
• Open Government Products, Gov Tech
• PAVE Integrated Services Ltd
• Social Service Institute
• Singapore Children’s Society