KOS is a child abuse prevention programme for schools, which aims to teach children about safety, healthy/unhealthy relationships and how/where to go for help.
They will learn:
- to work out when their safety is at risk
- how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people
- who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused
- to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse
- that it is important to make and follow personal, family and school safety rules
- that abuse is never okay
- that abuse is never their fault
Abuse includes: physical, sexual, emotional/psychological, cyber abuse neglect (medical, clothing, food, education, supervision etc), family harm (when power is used over someone and causes them harm).
Stranger Danger ...this is an OUTDATED term...89% of abusers will be known to the child, and 45% will be related to them. Also - 'strangers' includes people who might be 'strangers' (unknown) to the child but who help us e.g. police, a shop owner when we're lost etc
Teaching KOS
- Teach lessons in order and avoid skipping any
- Send homework home
See Interagency Guide from Oranga Tamariki
If someone makes a disclosure...
- don't promise you won't tell anyone....try, "if it is something that I can't help with, I might have to tell someone who can tell...' etc. It is critical that you pass the info on to leadership (SLT and TL).
- reassure the child throughout.
- write down as much as you can...during the disclosure or asap after.
- check in with leadership to see what has happened, if a report has been made etc
- avoid asking too many questions...only ask enough open ended questions to identify whether or not abuse, neglect or harm might be occurring.
School Policies
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