One clings to the railing to climb up, while the other stands amidst the steep concrete slabs sloping down to the water, completely unsupervised by adults. While it may look like typical summer play, a closer look reveals that the risk of injury is dangerously close. This small scene highlights a major issue in child protection every summer: when the school year ends, children have more time to play, but the risks of injuries, drowning, violence, abuse, and online dangers spike drastically without adult supervision.

Điện Biên is a mountainous province with deeply dissected terrain, featuring numerous rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, and irrigation works. In many places, children still retain the habit of heading out to streams, ponds, and lakes on their own, or playing around embankments, construction sites, and other unsafe spots. For young children, the boundary between play and danger can sometimes be just a single step. Therefore, preventing injuries - especially drowning - cannot stop at general reminders; it must begin with adults clearly identifying every potential hazard surrounding their children.

Along with accidental injuries, child violence and abuse remain pressing issues that require regular attention from families, schools, authorities, and communities. When children lack self-protection skills, have no one to confide in, and lack subtle observation from adults, they easily fall into vulnerable situations. Recognizing this, many localities and schools across the province have prioritized equipping children with vital life skills before and during the summer break.

Pu Nhi commune currently has over 2,100 adolescents and children. This is a demographic that requires dedicated care to develop comprehensively in terms of physical health, mentality, and life skills. In response to the 2026 Action Month for Children, the locality has organized numerous communication campaigns on children’s rights, violence prevention, and abuse deterrence, while raising community responsibility in building a safe living environment for youth.

Nguyễn Thế Bắc, Head of the Pu Nhi commune Police, stated: “The commune police and grassroots-level security forces frequently coordinate with schools and mass organizations to conduct dissemination sessions across local villages. We focus on guiding parents and residents on how to identify, prevent, and promptly report signs of child violence or abuse. In child protection work, early prevention holds paramount importance, as many incidents can avoid tragic consequences if detected in time.”

The dissemination sessions on preventing child violence and abuse are organized in schools and residential areas with age-appropriate, easy-to-understand, and memorable content. The communication style avoids rigid imposition, aiming instead to help children identify dangerous situations, know how to say “no,” and know how to seek help when necessary.

Cà Lan Hương, a student at the Pu Nhi Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, shared: “Through the dissemination sessions, I understand more about the risks I might encounter in daily life, especially during the summer vacation. Our teachers guided us on how to prevent violence and abuse, and reminded us not to go to rivers, streams, ponds, or lakes without adult supervision.”

Channeling self-protection skills into children is primarily about helping them recognize hazards and know how to respond in unsafe situations. However, these skills are only effective when children live in a secure environment with the constant care and companionship of families, schools, and the community.

Reality shows that many risks facing children stem from adult complacency: assuming a child is old enough to wander alone, believing phone use is merely harmless fun, or trusting that familiar areas around the house are completely safe. Yet, children possess limited life experience and incomplete judgment of danger. A riverbank, an embankment slope, an online solicitation, or an inappropriate behavior can all turn into immediate hazards if not recognized and blocked in time.

Since June 1, more than 200,000 students across the province officially entered their summer vacation. This is a time for them to rest, play, and experience things after a year of study. However, for the summer to truly be safe and meaningful, it heavily requires the active care of families, the involvement of local authorities, mass organizations, and residential communities. When every adult elevates their responsibility in nurturing and protecting children, the risks of injuries, violence, and abuse will be prevented from an early stage, helping them enjoy a complete summer filled with beautiful childhood memories.