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The Child Safety Booklet
Based on a publication by the New Orleans Violence and Children Intervention Project

Childrens' Defense Fund

  • A gun takes the life of a child every two hours - the equivalent of a classroom-full every day.

  • Homicide is now the third leading cause of death for elementary and middle school children (ages five to 14)

  • A child growing up in America is 15 times as likely to be killed by gunfire as a child growing up in Northern Ireland.

  

Has My Child Been Affected by Violence?

A recent study in New Orleans revealed that elementary school children living in high-violence areas had not only heard about a great deal of violence, but also had witnessed brutal acts of violence and in some cases, were victims.

If your child has been a victim, a witness, or has had knowledge of a crime, your child has been exposed to violence. Take this quick survey to determine if your child is showing symptoms of violence exposure:

Emotions

  • worry about being safe
  • feel jumpy and scared
  • gunshots disturb sleep and cause anxiety
  • nightmares
  • feel unprotected
  • worries about mother or caretaker
  • anxiety, clinging and crying
  • fearful of exploring on own

Thought Process

  • knowledge of death, dying and grieving
  • belief that there is no one to rely on
  • inability to concentrate in school or at home
  • inability to remember
  • easily distracted

Behavior

  • delays in development
  • speech problems
  • bed wetting or similar problems
  • inability to talk about fears
  • increased fighting or violent behavior with other children or adults
  • a return to thumb sucking

If you checked four or more of these items your child may be showing symptoms of violence exposure.

Back to Child Safety Book Table of Contents


Early Head Start National Resource Center @ ZERO TO THREE
2000 M. Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
202-638-1144 Fax 202-638-0851

This Web site was developed for the Office of Head Start by ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, under contract No. HHSP23320042900YC from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families; Administration for Children and Families; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, to operate the Early Head Start National Resource Center.