School Safety: Tips for Caregivers
By: Kathryn Ouke (LICSW)
Back to school time brings a whirlwind of emotions and feelings for youth and caregivers alike. It’s seen as a brand new year with exciting new opportunities to learn and grow. While there are feelings of excitement, there may also be feelings of anxiety, fear, stress, anger, and overwhelm surrounding the thought of safety at school. You are not alone in these feelings. According to a 2023 Gallup survey, the percentages of both caregivers and youth who voice concern and fear about school safety remains higher than usual.
Several shootings on or near Garfield High School’s campus last school year, as well as shootings at Chief Sealth International High School (2023) and Ingraham High School (2022) have undoubtedly brought school safety to the forefront of everyone’s mind. However, school shootings are not the only concern regarding safety. Bullying as well contributes to fear of ongoing school violence, especially for our LBGTQIA2S+ youth who are almost twice as likely as their non-LGBTQIA2S+ peers to be bullied.
Below is an offering of talking points and tips for caregivers and youth as they navigate this school year:
Encourage youth to talk about their concerns and express their feelings. Some youth are hesitant to initiate these conversations, so asking directly if they feel safe at school could be helpful.
Talk honestly about your concerns around school violence to let youth know they are not experiencing these feelings alone.
Validate your youth’s feelings and do not minimize their concerns, but do help your youth see the facts.
Discuss safety procedures in place at the school, and create a safety plan with the youth that identifies other adults they will talk to if they feel threatened.
Empower your youth to take action regarding school safety, whether this be reporting incidents such as bullying or threats of violence, or participating in community events and meetings to discuss impactful solutions.
Recognize behaviors that may indicate concern about going to school. Teens may not verbally express their concerns, so notice if they become argumentative, avoidant, or if their school performance decreases.
Continue the discussion on school safety, not just when there is an immediate crisis.
Seek help when necessary. Our team at Sequoia Teen Counseling Center are here to assist and help youth with these fears and anxieties.
