1 / 30

At Home Alone

At Home Alone. Keeping Your Children Safe!. Is this what “Home Alone” means to you?. Today’s Objective . A.L.O.N.E. Assess Learn Organize Negotiate Evaluate. History of “Latchkey”. Reality in today’s society that children in self-care more than generation ago

paniz
Download Presentation

At Home Alone

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. At Home Alone Keeping Your Children Safe!

  2. Is this what “Home Alone” means to you?

  3. Today’s Objective • A.L.O.N.E. • Assess • Learn • Organize • Negotiate • Evaluate

  4. History of “Latchkey” • Reality in today’s society that children in self-care more than generation ago • One in five children age 6-12 arrive home to empty house • Coined “latchkey kids” • Parents over the ages have battled with when is an appropriate age to leave a child at home alone

  5. What is the law? • Minimal age to leave children unsupervised in BC? • Legal age does not exist in BC Law • BC Ministry of Child & Families uses combination of factors, including age, maturity to determine whether child should be left alone

  6. What is the law? • BC Child, Family and Community Act • Among parental responsibilities, required to keep children safe, and free from neglect and abandonment • Responsible from birth to 18 • Cannot leave child “unattended” (without adequate supervision • Supervision takes different forms

  7. Am I Ready? Am I Ready? (9-11 Year-Old Questionnaire)

  8. ASSESS – Your Child’s Abilities • Deciding whether your child is ready to be left alone is a timeless struggle for all parents • Demonstrated ability of self-care? • Dresses independently? • Follows instructions? • Finds safe activities? • Able to manage chores/fixing a snack? • Completes homework without you?

  9. ASSESS – Your Child’s Abilities • Does he/she know basic first aid? • Demonstrate good judgement? • Able to solve problems, or does he/she leave that to you? • Does your child have special needs or identified behaviour problems that could pose a safety risk? • Period time time for self-care

  10. ASSESS – Your Child’s Reaction • Ask how they feel about being home alone; are there things that may be frightening to them, and do they feel confident? • How does your child react to stressful situations?

  11. ASSESS – Parental Commitment • You know your child best and will make best decision • Provide a clear and reliable way for your child to reach you • Ensure your child is educated and able to handle any expected emergency • Set clear expectations

  12. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Remove Risks! • Ensure all windows/doors have functioning locks • Carbon monoxide alarm, smoke detectors on each level of house • Hot water tank <54 deg. C. • Make candles off limits! • Call Display to screen incoming calls

  13. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Remove Risks! • Lock up: • Alcohol • Prescription medication • Tobacco • Lighters/matches • Car keys • Over-the-counter medications that could pose health risk if taken in excess

  14. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Fire Exit Plan • Practice fire drills with your family regularly; plan your escape route • Crawl if you smell smoke/hear smoke alarm • If clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL • Once outside, stay outside • Call 9-1-1 from neighbour’s house

  15. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY - Electricity • If you see a wire hanging from a police stay away! • A green metal box with red hazard sign is dangerous! • Never climb a hydro pole or a tree near power lines • Never fly kites near power lines • Water + Electricity = DANGER • Never touch anyone in contact with electricity

  16. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Street-proofing • Know your name, age, telephone number, address, city and province by memory • When and how to call 9-1-1 • Tell your parents/guardians where they are at all times • Never admit you’re home alone when answering the door/telephone • Never invited in unexpected guests when home alone

  17. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Street-proofing • Never approach or enter a stranger’s car when walking alone • You can talk to a stranger, but never go ANYWHERE with him • If you are followed, run to nearest location where adults are present • Trust your feelings and know when to say NO!

  18. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Dealing with Strangers • When at home, keep all doors/windows locked • If someone knocks, look out window first • Never let strangers into your home • If someone wishes to use the phone, call the contact neighbour or 9-1-1 • Should you answer the phone?

  19. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Dealing with Strangers • If you return home and find your front door open, you should proceed to your contact neighbour’s home and call 9-1-1 • Know what to do if the unthinkable happens and someone breaks into your home

  20. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Prepare Your Child What would you do if… • You lost your keys? • You or sibling began throwing up a lot? • A man in uniform comes to the door? • You came home and saw smoke in your home? • You came home and found the door broken open

  21. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Prepare Your Child Give different responses to your child: • “I can go inside to see who’s there” • “I can yell, GET OUT then run” • “I can go to a neighbour’s house and call police” • “I can call my parents from the neighbour’s house”

  22. LEARN ABOUT SAFETY – Prepare Your Child Discuss the consequences: • “If an intruder is still inside I could be in big trouble” • “I could scare him away, but he might catch me” • “Police will check the house” • “Parents will call police who will check the house”

  23. ORGANIZE THE HOME • Assemble a basic first aid kit, including bandages, sterile gauze, adhesive tape, tweezers, peroxide and anti-bacterial cream • Instruct your child on disarming the home security system • Keep flashlights handy in the event of power outage • Leave a spare house key with more than one neighbour

  24. ORGANIZE THE HOME • Unplug space heaters • Update list of important phone numbers • Key chain with clip where your child can keep his house key • Consider a weekly agenda • Ensure TV/computer parental control

  25. NEGOTIATE THE TERMS • Locking doors upon arrival • Calling parent upon arrival • Whether friends are welcome in parent’s absence • Rooms of the house that are off limits • Homework or chore duties • TV time, and channels/types of shows

  26. NEGOTIATE THE TERMS • Internet and computer rules • Kitchen and cooking • Healthy snacks vs. “free for all” • Opening doors for strangers • Answering the phone • Getting along with siblings • Never telling anyone child is alone!

  27. EVALUATE • Does he/she feel comfortable about being home alone? If not, why not? • Is she/he able to follow rules? • Is he/she able to understand and remember instructions

  28. EVALUATE • Is your child finding constructive things to do without getting into mischief? • Can your child handle normal and unexpected situations? • Is your child readily able to contact you at work? • Can your child reach someone for help in case of emergency?

  29. CONCLUSION • Aim between ages 10-12; but base decision on many factors and not just age • Teach your child safety techniques • Organize your home to make it as safe for your child as possible • Discuss and determine expectations • Remember to evaluate!

  30. At Home Alone…Keeping your child safe! Patrick Bryant Lori Beauvais pat.bryant @csaanich.ca lori.beauvais@vicpd.ca 250-652-4441 250-995-7209 Keating Home and School Association khasa63@gmail.com Judy Ryan Linnea Hagens Beacon Community Services

More Related