Who is this useful for?
Parents / trusted caregiver(s)
This resource is designed to help teach children aged 2-7, including children with deafblindness about good touch and bad touch. Children with disabilities are often at higher risk of abuse because they may struggle to understand or express what is happening. Teaching them about safe and unsafe touch is important to inform children about personal boundaries and to empower them to protect themselves from unwanted or inappropriate contact. For children with deafblindness, who rely on tactile signs, it’s particularly important to convey these concepts clearly.
To ensure safety, only the child’s parents or trusted adults should use this resource with them. No one else should use it alone with the child.
The resource includes a picture of a drawing of a child’s body (front and back) – under downloads section.
- Red areas show private parts where no one should touch, even with affection.
- Green areas show places where friendly or caring touch is acceptable.
Instructions:
- Show the picture to the child and match the body parts on the picture with their own body.
- Explain that green areas are okay to be touched in a caring way, but red areas are not.
- Test their understanding. For example, gently touch their head and ask, “Is it okay?” They can respond with a thumbs up or down.
- Repeat the checks regularly.
- For children with low or no vision, gently guide their hands to different body parts and explain which touches are okay and which are not. Make sure they understand.
To ensure safety, only the child’s parents or trusted adults should use this resource with them. No one else should use it alone with the child.