Committee for Children Programs
The evidence-based Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum teaches children in preschool–Grade 8 social-emotional skills to help them succeed in school and in life through self-regulation and social-emotional competence. The Second Step program gives educators the tools to help children become socially skilled, form healthy relationships, make good decisions, and develop strong bonds to school. It teaches skills for empathy, managing emotions, communications, and solving problems, as well as skills for learning (focusing, paying attention, self-regulation).
Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program guides staff, teachers, families, and students in reducing bullying and creating a safe and respectful learning environment. It teaches elementary students skills for assertiveness, joining a group, and friendship as well as recognizing, refusing, and reporting bullying. The program helps kids feel safe and supported by the adults around them so that they can build stronger bonds to school and focus on academic achievement.
The Talking About Touching Personal Safety Curriculum gives children skills for dealing with dangerous situations and supports families and teachers in discussing issues with children. Students, teachers, and parents gain a foundation of common safety rules, gain assertiveness skills to use in any unsafe situation, and learn about unsafe touch and how to respond to it. The Talking About Touching program serves children preschool through grade 3.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Washington on bullying prevention was conducted on our Steps to Respect program. The randomized controlled trial’s preliminary findings show the program had significant positive effects on factors linked to bullying and reducing physical bullying behavior in the schools that used the program compared to those that did not. Students who were taught the program showed a 33 percent decrease in pushing, shoving, or tripping of weaker students. This study is now in press.
Over the past 30 years, millions of children have grown up safer, healthier, and better prepared to meet society’s challenges. Today’s children face many new challenges and threats while family and school supports have increased pressures. Our work is more essential than ever, and we are committed to reaching as many children as possible. Your gift can help programs reach schools committed to their students’ success.