Feeling safe at home, at school, and in the community is necessary for young people's health and wellbeing. There are multiple elements of safety for young people, all of which are important to help children thrive. These elements include safety from accidents and hazards, safety from crime and violence, and safety from bullying and harassment, just to name a few. For young people, feeling unsafe often results physical, emotional, and social consequences. Youth who feel unsafe skip school more often, achieve less academically, have fewer friends, and are more likely to bring weapons to school.

To help raise awareness of the importance of safety to youth's psychological as well as physical well being, the following discussion topics can help young people identify the ways and locations where they do, and do not, feel safe, and promote conversations about how to improve safety for themselves and others.

• Has anything happened at school, in the neighborhood, at the mall, or anywhere else to make you feel unsafe, afraid, or worried?
• Do you know what to in case of an earthquake? Fire? Serious injury or illness?
• If you or a friend were being bullied, what would you do?

While safety is a critical concern, it's also important that adults help young people understand that small risks are normal. Sometimes over stressing safety can lead children to avoid healthy risks that help them grow. Helping young people learn to manage their own safety and react in case of emergency will help them develop confidence and independence that will serve them well throughout their lives.