Sophie Safe

Sophie helps all children live in safety and with stability. She is small but determined, proving you don’t have to be big to stand up against anyone who hurts or neglects children. Sophie faces up to bullies and racists and she is up to date with new technology and knows all about texting and internet safety. Part of her mission is to make sure children keep safe on the roads, in cars and on bikes, quads, scooters or skateboards. She points out dangers for children at play in town and in the country and workswith all adults who are there to care for them.

Sophie tries to make sure that children who are fostered or in care have more stable placements and helps support all children who have to undergo major changes in their lives, such as children whose parents separate.

1. Ask your class to write their own anti-bully rap, giving them a starting verse e.g.

We don’t like bullies
They’re nasty and mean
I won’t keep quiet
I’ll shout and scream

2. Split the class up into groups of four. Ask them to create a story about bullying, thinking about where the story would take place, who the characters might be and what the problem is (note: draw out six boxes on a page with character,setting and problem along top three and beginning, middle and end on the bottom three).

Younger children can draw out the story while older ones make notes and then report back to the class telling their story – each of the four can then write their own version of it.

1. Spend some time exploring thinkuknow This is an excellent website covering all aspects of mobile and internet safety.

2. Some useful website addresses:

3. Talk through some “What would you do if… ”scenarios

1. Ask children to talk about safe/unsafe play spaces in their own local area.

Use the following as triggers – which of these is not a good place to play?

• Play park • Motorway bridge• Street • Leisure centre • Railway line • Electricity pylon • Derelict houses • Hay shed • Football pitch • Community centre • School playground • Farm yard

1. Do a survey of the class to see how many people wear helmets when they go out on bikes or use seat belts. Always/sometimes/never?

2. Ask them to design a poster to encourage others to always wear helmets/use seat belts.

Eg: which of the following would you set on the back seat of a car?

• A china ornament • A box of glasses • A child

3. To school and back – do a survey to see how many travel to school by foot, by car, by bike, by bus – ask them to come up with some of the dangers they might meet along the way, eg:

• No crossing patrol • Overcrowded buses,standing room only • Traffic in cycle lanes

4. Name five things which would make the streets safer for children. Eg Drivers slowing down, more pedestrian crossings…..