Protecting Our Children: How Billy and his Buddies can Increase the Personal Safety of Your Child

Welcome to the Billy Brings his Buddies Parent section. Here you will find a variety of information, resources and activities designed to help parents educate their children about the 'Buddy System' - a valuable personal safety strategy that teaches children about the importance of staying with a buddy when they are going places.

Why is it important to teach my child about the Buddy System?

Children who go places alone are at a greater risk of being harmed. Teaching them to incorporate personal safety strategies into their daily lives will reduce their vulnerability towards victimization.

Learning to stay with a Buddy when going places can be taught and practiced in routine activities at home. It is important that children do not walk alone when they are going to and from places. To increase their safety they should use the Buddy System and travel with someone.

How can the Billy Brings his Buddies program help me teach my child the
Buddy System?

The Billy Brings his Buddies program consists of interactive online games, an online storybook as well as activities you can download and complete with your child. The program teaches children the valuable lesson of always having another individual, a 'Buddy', accompany them when they are going places whether it be walking to and from school, going to the store or having fun on the playground. Through the various activities, children learn that a 'Buddy' can be a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, older sister, older brother, babysitter or peer. When children learn and adopt this very important habit, they reduce their vulnerability to victimization, and increase their safety.

Discussing with your child when it is important to bring a buddy along is important. We encourage all parents to review the Buddy System strategy with their child today by downloading the Buddy System Home Activity.

Where can I go for additional information?

The Billy Brings his Buddies program is a Kids in the Know initiative that was developed and is promoted in partnership with Honeywell Canada. For additional safety information, we encourage parents to visit www.kidsintheknow.ca, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection's interactive safety education program designed to increase personal safety and reduce the risk of victimization and sexual exploitation of children.