BySTANDer
STANDING BY A CAREGIVER WHO IS STRUGGLING
We are all BYSTANDERS.
Including you. A bystander is anyone who sees a caregiver or child who is stressed or having a hard time and stands alongside them to help.
WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM HELPING?
Most people want to help, but just don’t know how. Sometimes we don’t feel like it’s our business, or we’re not sure if the situation is “bad enough” to say something. Also, we don’t want to make things worse for the kids, so most of the time we simply walk away.
When there are a lot of other people around, it’s less likely that any one person will do something to help. We also look for cues from other peopleand if no one else is stepping forward, then we probably won’t either.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We all have a role to play in keeping children safe. Even a few words of support to a caregiver or child can mean a lot.
We have heard from so many people – parents and also adults who were mistreated as children – that if just one person would have noticed and acted, it would have made all the difference.