As Parents, its natural to worry about your children when you’re not around to protect them.
Sending them off to school is no exception – it’s normal to worry, or at least think about, how safe they’ll be. While it’s normal and healthy to consider your child’s safety at school, it is helpful to keep some perspective. Don’t let your imagination run wild dreaming up all the worst-case scenarios as though they were likely to happen (They are not likely to happen).
Over-worrying can at times become the things that does the child harm. For example if they miss out on joining age-appropriate, safe activities with other children due to a parent’s over-the-top caution
If you are wondering – Will my child be safe at school? Then consider this:
Will my child be safe at school?
Yes, your child will almost certainly be safe at school. Any setting including staying home has some risk. Schools are run by professional staff who have a vested interest in your child being safe and happy so schools are a safe place for children to be.
Will my child feel safe at school?
It can be comforting for parents to know that overwhelmingly, children do feel safe in school.
Data from the from the national Center for Educational Statistics Shows that 95.7% of students at city schools report feeling safe at school. That number jumps to 97.9% feeling safe at suburban schools.
Interestingly, children are more likely to report feeling safe at school if they have “a teacher or adult at school who really cared about them”. (94.1% vs 81.1% for children with no teacher or adult who cared). *NCES
Why is it important to feel safe at school?
A University Of California study shows that children who feel safe at school are more likely to do well in school. they have better relationships with teachers and peers, have higher GPAs and fewer absences from class.
It also shows that the more students feel safe at school, the more likely they are to get involved in extra-curricular activities like athletics or clubs.
It’s important for parents and educators to help children develop a healthy relationship with school by encouraging them to take part in activities where they can make friends and feel comfortable.
What to do if my child is being bullied at school?
If your child is being bullied, consider talking to their teacher or principal about it. If the bullying is getting worse and there is no improvement, you may want to talk to a school counselor or another adult who works in the school.
You will very likely get the support that you need by talking with the school. If however you don’t then you can also contact the police department at your local police station to file an official report. The police will help you file a report and work with the school district to keep your child safe at school.
If your child is being bullied by peers, there are steps that you should take as well:
Talk to your child about what happened and why it happened. Ask them how they feel about it, what they want you to do, and how they think other people should be treated.
Ask them if anyone else has been involved in their bullying situation. If so, ask them if they have spoken with that person since then and whether or not the situation has been resolved.
If possible, have a conversation with the bully’s parents or guardians. This ensures they know what their son/daughter is going through at school.
Should I move my child to a different school?
These are some things to keep in mind if you’re considering enrolling your child in a new school or making any changes to his or her current one:
- There are many factors that go into making sure your child will be safe at school, from the school’s policies and procedures to the teachers and parents who staff it.
- Be prepared for a change in routine. If your child has been at the same school all year, he or she may not be used to the idea of moving or changing teachers or classrooms. Be as supportive as possible and let him/her know that everything will be OK when you move him/her over.
- Talk with other parents who have children at the same grade level as yours. Find out what they like best about their schools and ask them questions about their experiences there so that you can compare notes with other families in similar situations. You can also ask them how they handled certain situations such as discipline problems and parent-teacher conferences. This information may help ease some of your concerns about leaving family behind when you relocate.
- Research the different options available for elementary schools
Next, check out our post on building a resilient, happy child.