SAFE Personal safety skills for deaf children

1
SAFE Personal safety skills for deaf children

• Natalie Pulfer Yasmin Kovic
• Safeguarding Advisor for Deaf Children and Young
  People
• Senior Social Worker for Deaf Children in
  Cambridgeshire

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Personal Safety Skills programme

• Pilot 3 Schools for deaf children
• British Sign Language
• Total Communication and additional needs
• Oral

3
Aims of the Programme

• To give deaf children the knowledge, awareness,
• information and language to
• Keep them safe, or to tell someone who can help
  them to keep safe
• Make more informed choices about their lives
• Encourage peer support, strengthen identity, self
  confidence and self esteem
• Empower them to communicate their thoughts wishes
  and feelings
• Explore and understand their life experiences

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What is covered in the programme?
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Delivery of programme

• Information presented by deaf young people
• Activities, exercises and discussion
• Feelings cards
• Story boards
• Role plays
• Games and animations
• Glossary
• Help and information

6
Barriers identified through practice

• Lack of appropriate language, vocabulary and
  awareness to be able to communicate abuse
• Children and young people with poor self esteem
  and self confidence
• Lack of staff with appropriate skills and
  training to work with deaf children in safety
  awareness work
• Communication issues in the family and school
• Support is variable in different locations

7
Safeguarding deaf children recommendations

• For professionals to
• Personal safety skills programs in all schools
  with deaf children
• Develop staff awareness and skills in relation to
  deaf children and child protection
• Empowering deaf children in their daily lives
• Listen to deaf children and respond
• Facilitate support networks

8
Thank you

• Thank you for listening.
• If you require anymore information please
• contact
• YKovic_at_NSPCC.org.uk
• natalie.pulfer_at_cambridgeshire.gov.uk