FAQs

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Are your programs evidence-based?

Our MBF Child Safety Matters® program is an evidence-based program. Four independent research studies have examined the effectiveness of the program with positive results for both student knowledge gains and facilitator implementation fidelity. MBF has additional comprehensive, evidence-informed programs, which were developed based on the same theoretical knowledge and research best-practices. We are committed to ongoing research to ensure the efficacy of our programs. Learn more by visiting our Research page.

How are the programs delivered?

MBF Child Safety Matters® and MBF Teen Safety Matters® are grade-specific programs intended to be delivered in a classroom setting. A trained facilitator uses fun and engaging PowerPoints and facilitator scripts to deliver the turnkey lessons.

MBF Athlete Safety Matters® and MBF After-School Safety Matters® are delivered to youth in grade-level clusters (K-2nd, 3rd-5th, and 6th-8th grades) in settings outside of schools.

How do I get the program/How much does it cost?

Florida public schools are provided program materials at no cost through a generous appropriation from the Office of the Florida Attorney General.

Private schools, and schools and organizations outside of Florida, can purchase MBF programs. Materials are provided at a reasonable cost. Purchasing materials gives you access to program updates and online Facilitator Training and support for your organization for 3 years. Learn more about our products and pricing here.

If you are a returning customer, please log in to the Facilitator Portal to order materials. If you are a new customer, please click “Shop” on the website home page. If you would like to order/purchase materials for multiple schools or a district or region, please contact us at [email protected] for custom orders/pricing.

Do you offer any financial assistance?

While we cannot provide financial assistance to purchase materials, we do offer support in accessing grants and other types of financial support. We provide you with the following materials to assist you in obtaining funding and other support:

If you need additional assistance, we are happy to help in any way we can.

Do I have to be trained to provide the program?

Our expectation is that prior to implementing the classroom lessons, anyone who will be facilitating lesssons will complete the Facilitator Training. You will receive access to a 2.5-hour online training after completing your order.

What if I don’t have time to present the lessons to all classes?

We hope that you will find the time to present the lessons to all students to ensure every child receives this critical safety information. However, we also understand that it might be impractical for you to reach every student and support your efforts to reach as many students as you can. You may order materials for just the grades you anticipate presenting to, or you may order materials for all grades and seek out blocks of time to get into additional grades and classes.

Can I combine classes to present the lessons?

We ask that you please not combine classrooms, as the nature of some of the discussions might cause students to limit their participation if they are around unfamiliar students or in too large a group. Please note that MBF Child Safety Matters® and MBF Teen Safety Matters® from grades K-8 consist of grade-specific lessons designed to be implemented in individual classrooms. MBF Teen Safety Matters for grades 9-12 consists of two lessons for all students in grades 9-12, so implementing in blended high school classrooms is possible. We still ask that you present to individual classrooms and not combine multiple classes.

How far apart should lessons 1 and 2 be presented?

Best practice is at least one to two weeks and no more than six weeks. Presenting within this timeframe allows the opportunity for repetition and helps ensure students don’t forget the concepts learned in previous lessons, such as the Safety Rules, etc. However, we also understand given academic priorities and limited classroom time, it may not be possible to space lessons in this way. In these situations we encourage you to implement lessons in the time frame that will work for your school.

What about parents being educated and informed; how are parents included?

There is information and reinforcement materials included for parents with each lesson. Additionally, if your school chooses to use it, there is a Parent Opt-Out and Welcome Form you can use prior to implementing lessons which helps inform parents about the program. The Safety Connection: Parent Information & Activity Sheets that go home with students after each lesson highlight information about what children learned and what parents can do to reinforce that learning. There is also an activity for parents to do with their children. There are additional supplemental materials, such as Safety Briefs and a Safety Matters Information PowerPoint, available to the Facilitators to assist with engaging and educating parents.

Are program materials available in other languages?

Currently, our curriculum materials are only available in English. However, all reinforcement items that go home to parents, guardians, and Safe Adults are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian/Creole, French, German, and Chinese.

I’m a parent and my school isn’t using your programs. How can I get them to teach these lessons?

Reach out to your school principal and/or school counselor and share our information. Download our email template to help.

What They're Saying...

There’s not a child in the world who can’t benefit from this program. There are so many instances where we see children who have been damaged and hurt. Things happened to them and we think, if they’d only had this program, if they’d only had the benefit of this education, that might not have happened to them. If we can prevent that from happening to a single child, then it’s worth all the effort we have put forth.

I heard about the program through my son. He came home…and showed me the safety rules. I cannot thank the Foundation enough; to have other people who are also concerned about my child’s safety and the safety of other kids is wonderful. I especially like the program’s focus on the prevention side.

The MBF Child Safety Matters program is impressive. This important information is well formulated and well presented, developmentally appropriate, and based on good understanding of literature.