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SAFE AND STRONG FAMILIES WORK GROUP
Focus Topic for 2019: Supporting physical safety and resiliency
The Safe & Strong Families Work Group is focusing on strategies that reinforce positive behaviors in young children; working on strategies that increase access to quality of life resources
Indicator: Current Data on Substantiated Cases of Abuse/Neglect in Groton
Some of Our Current Strategies and Initiatives to Address the Indicator:
Groton ROCKS! – Recognizing Our Children’s Kindness and Safety
In coordination with Groton Public Schools, this program identifies, rewards, and encourages outstanding positive behavior amongst elementary students. Entering our 6th year of implementation, each elementary school chooses up to 10 students who exhibit distinguishable behavior. The students are recognized at a special ceremony where their accounts of kindness are announced in front of members of the community including Navy, Groton Police, DCF, and school staff. The goal of this program is to promote further extraordinary conduct, increase self-esteem, and support resiliency which is essential for dealing with challenges in life.
Groton Go Passbook - Recording free family activities throughout Groton for the opportunity to reduce summer learning lag and give students the opportunity to win a raffle prize.
In coordination with all our local partners, students in grade preschool through 8 receive a Groton GO! Passbook over the summer to complete and turn in by the second friday in August to the City or Town Police Department, or Washington Park Farmer's Market to be elligible to win a raffle prize. This initiative gets children and their families out and interacting in their community all summer to help build supports and resiliancy.
Bicycle Helmet Rewards Program - “Pogs” for Wearing a Helmet
Groton police hand out “pogs” to children they observe riding their bicycle and wearing a helmet in Groton. (The pog is good for a free ice cream at Dairy Queen.) Through this strategy children receive direct positive reinforcement from their community and begin to build positive relationships with local law enforcement.
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