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Child care centers, preschools, and school-age centers can all implement lessons on safe touch, boundaries, and relationships for children and youth. This includes safe touch, boundaries, and relationships among each other, but also with adults. Preventive discussions about safe touch and boundaries can help to reduce future issues and create an atmosphere in which children and youth know that it is safe to share information. Review the following examples of the seven types of touch and consider how you can teach them in your program or school.

1. Friendly Touch: A touch that is done on purpose by someone you trust (e.g., when you see a friend and you hug each other)
2. Loving Touch: A touch that is done on purpose by someone you love and who loves you (e.g., when your parent or guardian gives you a hug and kiss before you leave for school)
3. Fix-It Touch: A touch that is done on purpose and might hurt (e.g., when you get a scrape cleaned, it is still good touch because of its intent)
4. Accidental Touch: Touch that is not done on purpose that could hurt, or shock you (e.g., when you’re playing a game with your friend and they run into you, knocking you on the ground)
5. Space Invader Touch: A touch that may or may not be on purpose and happens when someone is too close to you and makes you uncomfortable (e.g., someone who sits too close to you in the cafeteria)
6. Hurtful Touch: A touch done on purpose that hurts your body (e.g., someone pushes you on the playground)
7. Problem Touch: A touch done on purpose that can confuse you or make you feel mad so that you should tell a trusted adult (e.g., when someone touches or grabs your private parts, asks to see your private parts, or shows his or her private parts)

Adapted from Ministry of Education. British Columbia. (1999). Responding to Children’s Problem Sexual Behaviour in Elementary Schools: A Resource for Educators. Victoria, British Columbia