Protecting God's Children
The Diocese of Buffalo started a program a while ago called "Protecting God's Children." This program involves once yearly lessons given to students involved in Faith Formation between Kindergarten and 12th grade regarding topics like boundaries, safe and unsafe touches, peer pressure, harassment, and internet safety. It is the goal of the Diocese that to make children more aware of situations that are unsafe, empower them to say no, and tell an adult if anyone tries to harm them. It is proven that kids who talk about these tough topics regularly are less likely to be abused because they know the warning signs, can stand up for themselves, and are less afraid to tell a trusted adult. By opening this line of communication, it is our goal that parents and their children will be able to talk about these topics more regularly, and increase the safety of their children.
A few notes:
***Parents are able to opt their children out of these lessons if they so choose.
***Lessons are online so that no one will access them without parental consent and involvement
***These sessions are NOT Sex-Ed. They are designed to only touch on topics directly related to potential abuse or unsafe situations, and are always delivered at an age appropriate level.
PGC: Boundaries, Secrets, and Surprises K-5
PGC: Boundaries, Secrets, and Surprises 6-8
PGC: Boundaries, Secrets, and Surprises 9-12