You’re the first and most important teachers when it comes to safety.

For over 20 years, the Indiana Center for Prevention has provided age-appropriate safety education in schools. But one lesson a year isn’t enough. Kids need ongoing guidance, and that’s where you come in.

Your everyday conversations help shape how your child understands boundaries, risk, and trust. To support you in those critical moments, ICPYAS offers free monthly trainings and practical resources designed just for parents and caregivers.

All programs are voluntary. Schools will provide an opt-out form before programming begins. If you have questions about opting out, please contact your child’s school directly.

For questions about the program content, contact Megan Banet, Director of Programs:

megan@indianaprevention.org or call 317-759-8008

sign up for a free training

Childhelp

Childhelp teaches children the skills to recognize unsafe situations and how to get help from a trusted adult.

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MindWise

MindWise helps students recognize signs of depression and suicide and encourages them to ACT®.

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NetSmartz

NetSmartz offers FREE tools that teach kids online safety and smart decision-making.

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Program Overview

Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe (CHSUBS) is a research-based personal safety program for students in Pre-K through 12th grade. This program teaches children the skills to recognize unsafe situations and how to get help from a trusted adult. It fulfills Indiana’s legal requirement for abuse prevention education in schools.

Through age-appropriate lessons, students learn the five key safety rules:

It’s MY Body!
Ask an Adult if I am Safe
I Have Choices
Tell Someone
It’s NEVER My Fault!

These rules are reinforced across all grade levels to empower students and emphasize that keeping children safe is the responsibility of adults. Children are also taught how to identify safe adults in their lives and how to talk to them when they have concerns. Names for private body parts are not taught in this program. Elementary-aged students are taught that private body parts are those parts covered by a bathing suit.

How the Program Works

Programming is provided in a single session ranging from 30-45 minutes based on grade. In-person presentations by trained facilitators are available in all grade levels. Middle and high schools may opt to show a video-based version of the program instead of hosting live sessions.

Pre-K – 2nd Grade: Focus on recognizing safe vs. unsafe situations, understanding private body parts, identifying safe adults, and using simple safety strategies in a non-threatening, engaging way. In addition to defining safety as a general term, lessons also introduce specific safety concepts. Those concepts are: (a) you are special and deserve to be safe, (b) there are rules that can help keep you safe, (c) adults are responsible for keeping you safe, and (d) you have body parts that are private; these body parts are those covered by a bathing suit. Names for private body parts are not taught. Types of abuse are described in a general way and the word “abuse” is introduced and defined as when someone does something on purpose to hurt you or someone else.

3rd – 5th Grade: Builds on earlier concepts with more detail about different types of abuse, the importance of speaking up, and how to get help from trusted adults. Safety is defined as care, security, protection, shelter, well-being, welfare, and absence of danger. Online safety is addressed starting in 3rd grade. Specific types of abuse - physical, sexual and emotion - and neglect are introduced and defined starting in 4th grade. The concept of personal boundaries is introduced in 5th grade. However, the term “sexual abuse” is not introduced until 6th grade.
6th – 8th Grade: Builds on earlier concepts with more detail about different types of abuse, the importance of speaking up, and how to get help from trusted adults as well as national and state resources. Starting in 6th grade, the term “sexual abuse” is introduced and there is an increasing focus on digital safety including risks of sharing explicit photos. Students learn refusal skills, how to help a peer who is being abuse, and are encouraged to trust their instincts.
9th – 12th Grade: Buildings on topics introduced in middle school and introduces the term “grooming” which is defined as when abusers use gifts and emotional support to manipulate their victim into a relationship. Topics include dating safety, personal boundaries, and how to support peers. Starting in 9th grade, there is an increased focus on digital safety and the crime of sextortion. Encourages critical thinking and real-world application of safety strategies.

In 2018, Indiana passed a state law requiring any public, charter, or accredited private school offer research-based child abuse prevention education to students in kindergarten through 12th grades. More importantly, schools recognize that students are safer when they are taught how to recognize unsafe situations, set personal boundaries, and seek help from trusted adults. The program supports a shared responsibility between families and schools to build a strong safety net for every child.
Yes, the program includes information about personal boundaries and unsafe touch, but younger grade levels do not include explicit language. The focus is on empowering children to speak to safe adults and know what is appropriate for their age.
The program does not teach sex education. At younger grade levels, it does not use terms like “sex” or “sexual” at all. Instead, it focuses on body safety, personal boundaries, and identifying safe adults. At the middle and high school levels, the program discusses abuse—including sexual abuse—in an age-appropriate way, using clear but respectful language. The goal is to empower students to protect themselves and know when to seek help from a trusted adult.
Yes. The curriculum was developed by experts in child development and abuse prevention. Lessons are delivered in a way that is appropriate for each age group and designed to avoid causing fear or confusion. Our goal is to equip youth with skills to recognize and resist abuse, not to scare them.
Yes. Parents and guardians may request to preview materials by contacting the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide.
The Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe program is designed to be age-appropriate and trauma-informed, with the goal of empowering students—not frightening them. The content avoids graphic details and is carefully presented to help children understand personal safety in a safe, supportive way.
However, you know your child best. If your child has experienced abuse or trauma, you are in the best position to determine whether participation in the program feels appropriate at this time.
We strongly encourage parents and caregivers to talk with their child and to reach out to your child’s school counselor or mental health provider (if they have one) to discuss any concerns or make an informed decision.
Our goal is to help children feel safe, supported, and equipped with tools to protect themselves—and we respect your role in guiding that process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Parent & Child Activities

Program Overview

SOS Signs of Suicide® is an evidence‑based youth suicide prevention program designed for students in grades 6–12. It teaches how to recognize warning signs of depression and suicide and encourages students to ACT®—Acknowledge, Care, Tell—if they are worried about themselves or a friend.

Listed in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Best Practices Registry, research shows it reduces suicide attempts by about 64% among high school students, with strong declines in ideation among middle schoolers.

How the Program Works

Delivered in-person during a single 40-45 minute lesson, SOS uses videos, guided discussion, and activities to address digital stress, coping skills, and stigma reduction, and includes stories of recovery to build hope and connection.

Students are provided with a confidential exit slip they can use to request help for themselves or someone else. The school counselor, social worker, or other designated school contact provides follow-up to students requesting help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the program information to help students learn to recognize possible signs of a mental health crisis in themselves or someone else and how to get help.
According to the Indiana Youth Institute 2025 Data Book, 29.9% of 7th through 12th grade students reported feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in 2024, and 10.1% of students had made a plan about how to attempt suicide. Schools recognize how vital it is to provide students with information so they can recognize a mental health crisis and how to seek help from supportive adults.
Yes. Parents and guardians may request to preview materials by contacting the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide.
Students complete a confidential exit slip at the end of the lesson where they can request help for themselves or someone else. Students are offered follow-up support through designated school staff, who communicate with caregivers and connect to resources as needed.
Yes. The program supports a shared responsibility between families and schools to build a strong safety net for every child. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend the SOS for Parents and Caregivers class which is offered for free every month by the Indiana Center for Prevention. Schools may also offer sessions specifically for their parents and caregivers.

Program Overview

NetSmartz® is the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s comprehensive online safety education program. Designed for children in kindergarten through 12th grades and the trusted adults in their lives, it offers free, age‑appropriate videos, games, presentations, tip sheets, and lesson plans to help kids learn digital citizenship, recognize risks, and make safer choices online.

How the Program Works

Students learn to identify online risks—such as phishing, grooming, cyberbullying, sextortion, and inappropriate content—and how to respond by blocking, reporting, or talking to a trusted adult.

Age-Appropriate Information: Content is tailored to the developmental level of students from kindergarten through high school, addressing real-life digital situations youth may face in age-appropriate language and tone.
Engaging Videos: Includes animated series like Into the Cloud™ for younger students and scenario-based videos for older students that explore topics such as online privacy, sexting, cyberbullying, and digital enticement.
Interactive Activities: Each lesson includes fun and educational activities such as role plays, digital safety games, writing prompts, and hands-on worksheets that reinforce safe online behavior.
Guided Discussions: Educators and facilitators are provided with discussion questions and talking points to help students reflect on what they’ve learned and apply it to their own digital lives.
Flexible Delivery: Resources can be used in classroom presentations, small groups, assemblies, or virtual formats, making it easy for schools and community groups to adapt programming to their needs.

NetSmartz addresses a wide range of digital safety issues. The Indiana Center for Prevention works with schools and communities to tailor programming to best meet their specific needs.
Topics that may be addressed include online privacy, online enticement and grooming, viewing and sharing inappropriate content, and cyberbulling. Starting in middle school, the topics of sexting and sextortion may be introduced.
Yes. Parents and guardians may request to preview materials by contacting the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide. You can also preview the entire program at https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/home.
Yes. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend NetSmartz classes offered for free every month by the Indiana Center for Prevention. Schools may also offer sessions specifically for their parents and caregivers.
Additional resources and information can also be found at https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow