Benefits of being a safety house member

My family have been involved with the safety house program for 8 years, we  live three houses down from one of our local schools which provides an ideal location to become a safety house member. It is a good feeling to know that you are there to help school children out in case they come across any dangers or that they might feel afraid for any reason. Other people in the neighbourhood  get to know you aswell and if they see something that needs attention then they can dirrect or assist a child to us knowing we are here and we will help any child who needs us.

It might be something as little as getting lost and we can call mum or dad and then they can pick the child up from here or if the child still wants to go home on their own then we can help by looking in the road maps for their street, to moments of fear or danger for a child for example being chased or bullied to stranger danger, hopefully we never have to deal with the later for all childrens safety.

All in all we feel very pleased to have an oppertunaty to help the children of the neighbourhood if they need us.

What is the Safety House Program?

The Safety House Program is an organised preventative method of protecting children. The program is community-based and its aim is to provide a safer environment for children in transit to and from school.

This is achieved through establishing a network of Safety Houses in an area where children can go if they require help or protection. It acts as a deterrent to undesirable people coming into an area and approaching children whilst they are by themselves.

This program aims to provide children with the skills and confidence to feel safe.

The Safety House Association of W.A. Inc. manages the Safety House Program on a state wide basis. The management committee consists of members of local committees elected at the Annual General Meeting and representatives from the Education Department, Police Department, S.S.T.U and the Western Australian Council of State School Organisations.

Local Safety House Committees are established to operate and maintain the program in a local area. Local Safety House Committees are in the majority of cases Standing Committees of Primary School P&C or P&F associations.

How do I become involved in the Safety House Program?

There are numerous ways to become involved in the Safety House Program, such as the following:

Join a Local Safety House Committee
Become a monitor of Safety Houses in your street
Get involved in activities such as National Day and Safety House Week
Financially support your Local Safety House Committee or the Safety House Association

All of the previously mentioned options can be organised and arranged by contacting your Local Safety House Association. Please check the Contact page for more details.

To become a Safety House yourself, you must be a responsible adult, who:

Cares about the well-being of children
Has been interviewed/screened by the Local Safety House Committee
Is available during peak school traffic hours
Has been police checked and approved

How do you identify a Safety House?

A Safety House is clearly identified by a yellow and black triangular smiling house sign, known as Ima, that is affixed to letterboxes of participating houses. Commercial premises may also be Safety Houses, in which case the sign is affixed to the front window near the front door or entrance.

What do Safety House people do?

Safety House people assist children in need by offering them help and protection. In emergency situations such as molestation or stranger approaches, the Safety House person calls the Police and the child's parents while offering protection to the child.

In non-emergency situations such as frightened, lost or bullied children, the Safety House person would contact the child's parents and offer protection, but not notify the Police.

When can children use a Safety House?

Children can use a Safety House whenever they feel scared, unsure, or need assistance. More specifically, when:

They are approached by a person who makes them feel scared or causes them harm
They are involved in an accident
They are being bullied
They feel ill, or are injured
They feel lost, or are frightened