Keeping children safe by acts of kindness

A multitude of situations can have an impact on the psychological well-being of parents and children. For some, these impacts result in disruptive behaviours conducive to the emergence or presence of child abuse or neglect.

Keeping a child safe is primarily the responsibility of their parents, but it also concerns the people around the child, members of their community and the wider community. It is essential that everyone show kindness to the children and families around them, be they neighbours, friends, extended family or coworkers.

Doing various acts of kindness can create conditions conducive to a healthy parent-child relationship. They can eliminate or reduce risk factors that contribute to the development of a problem and in this way prevent child abuse.

There are many acts of kindness you can do to support a child and a family. What you do depends on the situation of the person you want to help. By talking to the person or trying to put yourself in their shoes, you wil be ableto identfy what acts of kindness could help. To get you started, here are some suggestions:

• get close to and connect with the children and families in your neighbourhood:
  • say hello,
  • smile,
  • ask how they are doing;
• offer used clothing to families around you;
• offer to:
  • do a period of homework with a child you know,
  • read to a child from time to time,
  • do an activity with your neighbour's child to give the parent a break and get the child moving,
  • clear snow from your neighbour's driveway to help them with their morning routine;
• bring a meal to a family to make the parent(s) daily life easier;
• take the time to contact a child by telephone or videoconference to find out how they are doing and talk to them one on one;
• consider what the child says to be true and be attentive to what the child is feeling;
• tell your loved ones that you are available to help them;
• any other actions or small gestures you think could help young people and families around you.

Info-Social 811

• Psychosocial telephone advice and referral: Info-Social 811

Tel-jeunes

• 1-800-263-2266
• www.teljeunes.com 

LigneParents

• 1-800-361-5085
• www.ligneparents.com  (in French only)

Ligne provinciale d’intervention téléphonique en prévention du suicide

• 1-866-APPELLE (277-3553) (in French only)

SOS violence conjugale

• Free, anonymous and confidential 24/7 service for victims of domestic abuse and anyone affected by it
• 1‑800‑363‑9010
• SOS violence conjugale.ca/en