Child Safety
The Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit has a wealth of resources on child safety. Primary among them is the "For Safety's Sake" program, which features a character named Charlie Check-First (right). See below for more information.
Click to download PDFs of child safety tips, and a coloring sheet for kids:
Tips for Parents (PDF)
Tips for Kids (PDF)
Color Charlie! (PDF)
For Safety's Sake
The Sheriff's Office offers this free, educational series to schools and organizations within unincorporated Jefferson County. Customized for children from preschool to sixth grade, the program is a highly interactive, safety- and violence-prevention program taught using magic, puppetry, clowning and storytelling.
Joyce Nelson teaches the For Safety's Sake program on behalf of the Sheriff's Office and has worked in this capacity for seven years. What was once Stranger Danger has changed and evolved over the years and today features a wider range of safety information.
The program includes research-based personal safety programs such as those created by Safety Kids, Inc. (www.safetykids.org) featuring Charlie Check-First. Charlie's motto is "CHECK FIRST before going anywhere with anyone!" The program complies with the ongoing prevention strategy as outlined in "Guidelines for the Effective Implementation and Administration of Law-Related Education" as published by the Colorado Department of Education.
This free 30-45 minute program includes problem solving, brainstorming and immediate application of new concepts via active participation and student-to-student interaction.
"Kookie the Clown" also appears at events like the Sheriff's Safety Fair, the West Metro Fire Muster and other community festivals to get her safety message across to children.
For Safety's Sake is offered on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., based on availability. For information and scheduling, call Joyce Nelson at (303) 271-5665 or write to jnelson@jeffco.us.
Watch some of a Safety Kids presentation here:
Tips for Parents from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1. Make sure you know where each of your children is at all times.
2. Never leave children unattended in an automobile, whether it is running or not.
3. Be involved in your children's activities.
4. Listen to your children.
5. Notice when someone shows one or all of your children a great deal of attention or begins giving them gifts.
6. Teach your children that they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable or confusing touch or actions by others.
7. Be sensitive to any changes in your children's behavior or attitude.
8. Be sure to screen babysitters and caregivers.
9. Practice basic safety skills with your children.
10. Remember that there is no substitute for your attention and supervision.
For a more thorough list, visit www.missingkids.com.
In Case of Emergency: Precautionary Measures
1. Keep a complete description of your child.
2. Take color photographs of your child every six months.
3. Keep copies of your child's fingerprints.
4. Keep a sample of your child's DNA.
5. Know where your child's medical records are located.
6. Have your dentist prepare and maintain dental charts for your child.
For more information on children's safety, including ID kits and public events, please contact Crime Prevention.
Last Modified:
Oct 13, 2010 02:06 PM
