Children step out safely

Room 8 at Ngāti Toa School in Tītahi Bay, Porirua, have spent much of this term working with their teacher, Karen Bould and police education officer, Constable Debbie Wilson on the 'Stepping Out' programme.



Stepping Out is one of the Police Youth Education Service (YES) Road Safe Series programmes developed in conjunction with Land Transport New Zealand.

Debbie says the children have learned a variety of things, such as knowing their names and addresses, how to cross the road safely and how to keep safe in the car. A mix of learning techniques was used including live interviews with school patrollers, reading traffic related stories, and practical activities out at the road side.

"'Stepping Out' was spread out over sufficient time to allow the children to learn the skills really well, and to allow lots of time for reinforcement," says Debbie.

"This reinforcement is needed to help children stay safe around roads. And of course, they need lots of help and good role modelling from their families."

Parents and whānau will soon be learning about road safety alongside the children. YES has just produced an information book called 'Helping Hands' to help parents and caregivers keep children safe on the roads. The book is given free of charge to families.

"It is full of practical ideas," says Debbie. "There are fourteen road safety topics, such as walking on the footpath and choosing a cycle helmet, which parents and caregivers can choose according to the needs and age of their child. The book gives pointers about what to teach, why to teach it, when to teach it, and how to teach it. The importance of adults as role models is stressed."

Rose Hewer, whose daughter Phoebe is in Room 8 says, "It starts from Year 0-1 when you are putting the child into a car seat and explaining why. Then it is broken into developmental stages."

Another parent, who has two children, Myah and Tyrin, in Room 8, comments that the book is well laid out, easy to understand, and has good illustrations.

A companion to 'Helping Hands' is the 'Road Safe Activity Book' .
"This provides fun road safety activities which children will enjoy doing while providing them with helpful information about keeping safe on or near the road," says Debbie. "It builds on learning that takes place through the police Road Safe Series programme and is free to children doing these programmes."