Various stakeholders visit Pierneef Kleuterhoekie to share safety tips
"These school visits are of the utmost importance to meet the children and share the safety tips with them and their teachers."
The Moot FCS, Villieria police, the Child Protection Hotline (CPH) and Chrisna Schmidt, a social worker working with the hotline, visited the children of Pierneef Kleuterhoekie on Wednesday.
The children were shown some practical tips on how to stay safe and were given demonstrations as well.
“We covered a wide range of topics with the children, keeping in mind their age. We touched on bullying, trafficking, off-limits body areas, stranger danger and many other topics,” said Danie van Loggerenberg of CPH.
Warrant Officer Marinda Austin of Villieria police station spoke to the children about how she and the station were there for them and showed them in a practical way what bullying was and what they should not do to their friends at school.
Moot FCS was represented by Warrant Officer Melani Smit who spoke to the children about what body parts are off-limits and that strangers should not be spoken too at all and no stranger offering sweets were to be trusted.
A social worker in private practice that works with the CPH, Chrisna Schmidt, warned the children against grownups asking them to keep secrets and encouraged them to share the so called secrets with their teachers and parents.
Van Loggerenberg educated the children to not share their names or any personal information with any strangers, regardless of the setting.
“These school visits are of the utmost importance to meet the children and share the safety tips with them and their teachers.
“What happens to children in our country is unacceptable and we need to educate the children so that they can speak up and speak out about abuse.
“The benefit of talking to these young minds, is that they share easily and from the heart and they should be encouraged to always do that,” he said.
This is only one of many school visits the CPH undertakes with SAPS and the FCS in all areas.
“Our future plans include getting to speak to teachers and parents, without the children. Too many child abuse reports never get filed for whatever reason and we need to educate teachers and parents on the importance of those reports and encourage them report any form of alleged child abuse,” Van Loggerenberg concluded.
Any person that would like to report child abuse can do so via SMS, WhatsAapp or phone 064 604 9264 or to send an email to report@childprotectionhotline.co.za
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