Developed in 1981 and updated in 1994, the Safe Child Program provides children ages three to ten with a set of skills to help them prevent sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. The main idea guiding the program is that there are times when children can and must be responsible for their own well being. At the same time, however, the program emphasizes that a child’s security can be enhanced without creating misunderstanding, fear, or anxiety or reducing a child’s sense of trust.

The program is designed to be used in a group classroom setting. By building on everyday experiences, the program teaches children how to speak up for themselves, how to assess and handle various situations, and to know where to get help. Children actively engage in discussions, games, and role-playing in ten separate sessions, giving them time to practice these skills.

The program has two main focuses. The first is prevention of sexual, emotional, or physical abuse by people known to the child. The other focus of the program is safety around strangers.

Two studies show that this program is effective in changing children’s behavior in ways that should reduce the risk of child abuse from strangers.