It takes a community to promote child safety and prevent child abuse….it also takes a community to allow it.
The Chabad community has for years been determined to bury its head in the belief that the problems, if ignored, will disappear. In recent years the victims, mental health professionals, community organizations, and others have spoken of the issue more frequently and openly. While acknowledgement and awareness are essential in the provision of our children’s safety, they are only effective if they are combined with one further ingredient. Education.
The issue of child safety, has been one in which the Merkos Chinuch Office has taken the lead for more than a decade. The Merkos Chinuch Office researched and published the first comprehensive Child-Safety guidelines in 2002; ultimately adapted by many educational agencies.
Most recently, the issue of keeping children safe from predators and abuse has been brought to the forefront of the Chabad community’s attention. The Merkos Chinuch Office embarked upon a child safety initiative. The first focus was on the Crown Heights community. Cadres of parents were trained to meet with children in every classroom all over the Crown Heights educational institutions, and with the teaching staff of all children from Kindergarten through the third grade; this year extending to the 4th grade in many schools. More than 5,000 children were trained in the “Safety Kid” program.
Recently, a number of other communities have initiated a Safety Kid program, including: Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. To find out more about this program, contact Safety Kid directly or the Chinuch Office.