Promising Practice Programs
Feeling Safe Together
| Agency | South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (SECASA) East Bentleigh, Vic |
| Website | http://www.secasa.com.au |
| Contact | Carolyn Worth, Coordinator; Michelle Spinks, Project Worker Ph: (03) 9928 8741 |
| Start date | 1998 |
| End date | Will run program on demand from local primary schools |
| Program type | Community awareness/education Service provider training Training for community groups Advocacy program Therapeutic responses to victims |
| Geographical area | Local community |
| Target group | Children Service providers |
| Description | The Feeling Safe Together program is aimed at providing safety programs in Southern Metropolitan Region Primary
Schools. This program uses the successful skills for safety from programs already in existence both in Australia and
abroad and has enhanced these with emphasis on communication and confidence raising strategies. The Feeling Safe Together program includes staff consultation and training, parent/carer consultation and education, child training, organisational links to child protection agencies and evaluation and feedback. The target topics of the Feeling Safe Together manual include personal and environmental safety, rights and responsibilities, feelings identification, thinking identification, touching rules, personal spaces and boundaries, surprises and secrets, decision making and action, better communication, peer pressure/bully behaviour issues, how to be a friend and safety networks. The objective of this program is to provide a personal safety program in each local primary school with the aim of reducing the number of children who are sexually and physically abused. In the short term it is hoped that the program will assist children to disclose abuse. |
| Promising practice examples | Takes account of contemporary research and practice developments in the field of sexual assault. Contributes to improving systems' responses to sexual assault, or is directed at preventing sexual assault. Demonstrates a sensitivity towards the barriers faced by victim/survivors in disclosing and reporting sexual assault. Has a clearly defined conceptual framework. Includes processes of accountability and evaluation. Demonstrates a capacity for replication (i.e. other services/organisations could adapt/re-model the program for their use). This program encourages personal and organisational links to achieve a safer community. |
| Based on existing program | This program has modified protective behaviours programs because we thought they were too specific and it would be a more positive approach to talk about safety issues and the development of communication and good personal relationships. |
| Philosophical framework | The Centre is committed to the safety, protection and well being of children and young people. We believe that information can assist all people, including children, make choices about their lives. This program assists children to look at the choices within their control at this stage of their lives. |
| Research informing program | Evaluations of protective behaviour programs and their offshoots. |
| Publications | Feeling Safe Together available from SECASA. (Currently out of print - photocopies can be provided.) |
| Evaluation | Internal. Written evaluation following attendance. An evaluation is conducted with the teachers after each whole of school program has been conducted. This is both a written evaluation and also a session where the conduct of the program and any changes that might have come about in the school population are discussed. |