The Start Smart Stay Safe (S4) Family Sessions are workshops for parents facilitated by a police officer or teacher, which explore issues that impact children, families, and schools. These sessions provide parents with ideas to respond to these issues before they turn into real problems. Any of these sessions can be requested by parents, school council, or school staff at a participating S4 school. Connect with your school administration to request a Family Session. A printable overview of the Family Sessions can be found HERE.
Did you miss the S4 Family Session at your school? You can find tip sheets, activities, and other information from each session here:
Making Healthy Choices – Unhealthy Influences and Stress
This session explores some ways parents and other caring adults can help children learn healthy ways to handle stress and difficult situations. Parents can help children learn to listen to their own feelings and know how to make good choices.
Safety Through Community Involvement – “Stranger Danger” and Community Safety
This session looks at ways for parents to support children in recognizing and responding to unsettling feelings to be safe in the community, and also looks at what parents and other community members can do to take part in keeping their communities safe.
Building Healthy Relationships – Negative Peer Influences, “Gangs”
This session explores some ways that parents and caring adults can model positive relationships, so children learn to meet their need for belonging and excitement through healthy relationships and don’t become involved with unhealthy peer groups.
Effective Communication Strategies – “Bullying”
This session outlines strategies for supporting children to use their skills to deal with disagreements appropriately by using respectful communication, listening, and applying conflict resolution skills.
Digital Citizenship – Internet “Bullying”
This session explores ways to establish boundaries with children around acceptable use and time spent online and with technology, so that children learn how they can stay safe on-line.
Community Safety and Belonging – Peer Pressure
This session looks at ways parents can help children develop skills to make healthy choices and to stand up for their values and beliefs, without having to compromise their sense of belonging.
