Younger Children: Introduction

Key Stage 1 at Primary School offers the first comprehensive opportunity to engage with all children.  It is an age of exceptional learning, when attitudes are forming and the mind is open to new ideas.

Sadly, for many it is also when abuse begins.  Without a counter-point, the abuse can be seen by the young child as something that is ‘normal’.  It is too common for people later in their life to suddenly realise that they were abused when they were little and to feel a huge amount of guilt and shame that they did nothing to stop it.

We need to make all young children aware of what is a loving, respectful relationship and what is an abusive and manipulative one.  We cannot guard our children 24/7, but we can equip them with knowledge to understand when things are not right and give them tools to report it.