AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS COME WITH BEING A PARENT.BUT ONE COULD SAVE YOUR CHILD'S LIFE.

TOOLKIT

“I, UH, CAUGHT OUR KIDS PLAYING

DOCTOR.”

AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS COME WITH BEING A PARENT,

“IT APPEARS YOUR SON LOVES TO DRAW...

ON EVERYTHING.”

“THE KIDS KINDA GOT INTO MY OLD

VIDEO COLLECTION.”

“IS THERE AN UNLOCKED GUN IN YOUR HOUSE?”“YOUR DAUGHTER

HAS QUITE THE ‘ADULT’ VOCABULARY.”

“SO... YOUR SON

SORTA FLOODED MY BATHROOM.”

BUT ONE COULD SAVE YOUR CHILD’S LIFE.

ASKASKINGSAVESKIDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE, VISIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG

“I, UH, CAUGHT OUR KIDS PLAYING

DOCTOR.”

AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS COME WITH BEING A PARENT,

“IT APPEARS YOUR SON LOVES TO DRAW...

ON EVERYTHING.”

“THE KIDS KINDA GOT INTO MY OLD

VIDEO COLLECTION.”

“IS THERE AN UNLOCKED GUN IN YOUR HOUSE?”“YOUR DAUGHTER

HAS QUITE THE ‘ADULT’ VOCABULARY.”

“SO... YOUR SON

SORTA FLOODED MY BATHROOM.”

BUT ONE COULD SAVE YOUR CHILD’S LIFE.

ASKASKINGSAVESKIDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE, VISIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 2

In America, one out of three homes with children has a gun, and nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun. Every year thousands of kids are killed and injured as a result.

The ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign promotes a simple idea with the potential to help keep kids safe. It encourages parents to ASK if there are unlocked guns in the homes where their children play.

Parents ask all sorts of questions before their children visit other homes. They ask about pets in the house, discuss allergies and Internet access, and ask questions about supervision. ASK encourages parents to add one more question to this conversation: “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” It’s a simple question, but it has the power to save a child’s life.

Every parent cares about the safety of their children. ASK allows parents to play an active role in keeping kids safe. Any parent can make a difference by ASKing and encouraging others to do the same.

For more than a decade, the ASK Campaign has partnered with more than 400 grassroots organizations to spread its message in neighborhoods nationwide.

The ASK Campaign is a collaboration between the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the American Academy of Pediatrics who promotes the ASK message to its 62,000 members across the country. The ASK Campaign has successfully inspired 19 million households to ask if there are guns where their children play.

WHY ASKING MATTERS

ASK: “IS THERE AN UNLOCKED GUN IN YOUR HOUSE?”

WHAT IS ASK?

nine children and teens are shot each day in gun accidents

1 in 3 homes with children have guns, many left unlocked or loaded

80% of unintentional firearm deaths of kids under 15 occur in a home

Sources:

CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. Data retrieved March 20, 2014.

Johnson R, Coyne-Beasley T, Runyan C. Firearm Ownership and Storage Practices, U.S. Households, 1992–2002: A Systematic Review. AJPM.2004; 27:2:173-182.

NVDRS data from 16 states, covering 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, retrieved April 2, 2014.

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 3

ONE MOM’S STORY

Sonya BargeI think about my life in two parts now: before the tragedy and after it.

One June day, I left work a little later than expected. This made me a few minutes late to pick up my 3-year-old son from his regular babysitter’s house outside St. Louis.

It was during those minutes that the babysitter’s 11-year-old child found a gun in a closet. Markie, my son, entered the room, surprising the boy with the gun. The gun went off. He never meant to shoot Markie.

Today, I tell all parents to ask a simple question that can help prevent unintentional shootings like the one that has changed my life:

“Is there an unlocked gun in the homes where my child plays?”

There’s no way to describe the pain of losing a child and the effects of Markie’s death – not just on my family, but also on the family of the boy who shot my son.

My hope is to prevent other families from feeling the same pain and heartache. That is why I support the Asking Saves Kids Campaign. ASK encourages parents to ask about guns in the home before sending their children over to play.

Parenting is a constant juggling act, and we can always share extra tips and information to help keep our children safe.

And while I know many parents might find it hard to start this conversation, it's a conversation that can save lives.

I encourage you to pledge to ASK, and to make sure your friends and neighbors do too.

“ My hope is to prevent other families from feeling the same pain and heartache.”

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 4

TIPS FOR STARTING THE CONVERSATION

Some parents may find it difficult to start this conversation. Here are some tips to help you start ASKing.

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 5

Use this tool kit to encourage ASKing in your community!

GET INVOLVED AND SPREAD THE WORD!

TALK TO PARTNERS & GROUPS: ÞUse the Partners & Groups tips to meet with organizations in your community and spread the ASK message to a broader audience.

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ÞUse the LTE tips to send a letter about ASK to your local newspaper.

SOCIAL MEDIA: ÞSpread the ASK message on Facebook and Twitter with graphics, posts, and tweets.

SIGN AND SHARE THE PLEDGE: ÞEncourage pledging to ASK in your community with the materials in this kit. You can also take the pledge online and ASK family and friends to do the same.

HOST TABLING EVENTS: ÞSpread the ASK message by hosting a tabling event in your community. Share the materials in this kit and download more at: www.askingsaveskids.org.

Keep us posted about your successes and challenges, and let us know about ASK activities, events, and media attention so that we may highlight your efforts! Reach out at: http://askingsaveskids.org/contact.

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 6

Partnerships are critical to reaching a broader audience. ASK allows partnerships with diverse groups such as pediatricians, public health organizations, education associations, and many others. While some of these groups' primary mission may not be gun violence prevention, they share our goal to keep kids safe.

By framing gun violence as a matter of health and safety, not politics, we can expand our reach and spread our message further.

You can save lives by making connections with these groups in your community!

5 STEPS TO TAKE:1. RESEARCH the group you are reaching out to by visiting their website. Find out about their mission and

how they reach their audience (mailings, email alerts, newsletters, etc.). While you are on their site, sign up for their emails—it will help give you ideas.

2. FOCUS on initiating the conversation with the group/individual, listen to them, learn about their work, and try to find things you have in common.

3. ASK them to promote the campaign in whichever way they reach their audience.

4. SEND groups sample graphics and text available at www.askingsaveskids.org.

5. FOLLOW-UP with the group/individual, ask them for a copy of anything they send that includes ASK, and where possible, see if they have numbers on the amount of people reached.

TALK TO PARTNERS & GROUPS

Think about where parents get credible information about health and safety issues.

Who, in your community or state can reach the largest number of parents?

Organization: ____________________________

Website: _________________________________

Organization: ____________________________

Website: _________________________________

Organization: ____________________________

Website: _________________________________

Organization: ____________________________

Website: _________________________________

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 7

5 TIPS WHEN REACHING OUT:1. PAIR statistics with local or personal stories to make a compelling case.

2. EXPLAIN how ASK complements their mission and work.

3. DON’T make it about politics, any parent of any political affiliation can and should ASK this question.

4. BE clear and concise in your conversations.

5. THINK about low-cost, high-impact outreach efforts. Materials are expensive, so consider ways the group/individual can incorporate the ASK concept into their everyday work.

SUGGESTED GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR OUTREACHGroups that you know support gun violence prevention work

• These groups are great and important to our work, but you should think of groups not primarily focused on gun violence prevention.

Groups that you might not know support our work, but do • School districts

• Hospitals (especially children’s hospitals)

• Police associations and other law enforcement groups

Partnering Locally: Spotlight on Allegheny County, PAThe ASK Campaign effort in Allegheny County is a great model for suggested outreach in your community. It is a county-wide effort involving support from a variety of organizations including, but not limited to the following:

TALK TO PARTNERS & GROUPS

Allegheny County Department of Human Services

Allegheny County Housing Authority

Allegheny County Medical Society

Pittsburgh Public Schools

American Academy of Pediatrics, PA Chapter

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

United Way of Allegheny County

Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 8

You aren’t expected to know every fact and statistic related to gun violence, but it is important to familiarize yourself with some key facts to help you communicate why guns in the home is an important issue for potential partners to address.

Here are a few national statistics that you can use:

• One out of three homes with children have guns, many left unlocked or loaded

• Nine children and teens are shot each day in gun accidents

• 80% of unintentional firearm deaths of children under 15 occur in a home

State Statistics State-specific information, paired with personal stories, can make compelling arguments when reaching out to local and state level groups.

For example, you can use the data from this Pediatrics article that has information about the prevalence of household firearms and firearm-storage practices in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Read the article to understand how the data was collected, and the limitations to the information source. It’s always important to be knowledgeable about your sources when using statistics.

Framing Your FactsThink about framing your facts in a way that is most compelling and relevant to your audience.

The Pediatrics article provides statistics such as the percentage of homes with children that have a loaded firearm, and the estimated number of youth living with loaded firearms.

Examples:

HOW TO FIND STATISTICS

In populous states, like Florida, an estimated 248,430 (or 6.5%) youth live in a household with a loaded firearm. Use the raw number to make a more compelling argument.

In a state such as Alaska, where the population size is fairly small, the percentages may be more compelling. For instance 10.7% of households in Alaska with youth under 18 have a loaded firearm—that’s more than 1 out of 10 children statewide!

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 9

Research TipsIf you are looking for something specific and want to do further research, keep the following tips in mind:

• Gun violence prevention research/statistics are often not as up-to-date as we would prefer, so use the most current reliable data even if it is several years old.

• The number of unintentional deaths is often under-reported. Using overall gun death statistics is the best way to present the gun violence problem. Read through this New York Times article for further explanation.

• Consider which statistic is more compelling for the particular topic you are researching, rate vs. count/number vs. percentage.

• Make sure you are aware of the limitations to any information source.

• Don’t feel pressured to do your own analysis. Use a trusted and reliable source that has already analyzed the data.

Other Research ResourcesWeb-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)This CDC resource provides customized reports of injury-related data as well as a tool that allows users to create national, state, and county maps of firearm deaths. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data will have the most complete number of firearm deaths.

Child Death ReviewThis website provides state level data on deaths of children by means (firearm, poisoning, etc.) and intent (unintentional, homicide, and suicide).

Children’s Defense FundThe annual report provides child gun death rates by state in a map form.

Harvard School of Public Health, Injury Control Center: Firearms ResearchThis website provides a compilation of research summaries on firearms.

Kaiser Family Foundation State: HealthFacts.orgThis website provides gun death rates by state in table or map form.

Kid Shootings BlogThis blog is updated regularly with news clippings about firearm deaths and injuries in children. This resource is best used for finding local stories, not creating a statistical tally of shootings.

Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence: SmartGunLaws.orgThis website provides information on federal and state firearm laws, that can be searched by state or policy.

HOW TO FIND STATISTICS

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 10

A great way to spread the ASK message is through your newspaper. Use the sample talking points below to help write your letter spreading the ASK message.

3 Steps to Send a Letter to the Editor:1. Click on the link below to select the letter:

http://actions.bradycampaign.org/page/speakout/ask

2. Use the talking points to draft your letter in the open area, and personalize to your specifics by including why you’re ASKing.

3. Select the newspapers where you want to send the letter, and then hit submit.

Helpful Tips:• Where possible, tie your letter to a recent news article or other letter

• Include why ASKing is important to you

• If you have personal experience with gun violence and are comfortable doing so, share your story – facts and statistics are more compelling with a personal story

• Mention your stake or role in the community

Sample Talking Points to Include:• Every time we lose another child to gun violence, we hear outrage about the senselessness of the

tragedy, and any proposed solutions often devolve into a polarizing debate over gun regulation.

• This debate, although critical, obscures a tangible solution that all parents can and should do to protect their child.

• ASK urges parents to ask their neighbors, friends, and relatives if there is an unlocked gun in the home before sending their children over to play.

• Over one third of homes with children have guns. Many are kept unlocked and loaded, and every year thousands of children are killed or seriously injured as a result.

• We can help reduce the risk of injury this year by ASKing a simple question before our children visit another home: “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?”

• One way to get involved is to sign the ASK pledge and commit to ASKing in your neighborhood.

• Talking with other parents about a sensitive subject like guns in the home might be difficult, but the ASK Campaign hopes to make it easier, one conversation at a time.

WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 11

Sample Facebook Posts

Sample 1Today—and every day—I pledge to ASK if there is a gun where my child visits or plays. More than one in three homes with kids has a gun. Tragic gun accidents kill and injure thousands of kids every year. I pledge to ASK to save lives and protect children. You can join this life-saving campaign by sharing this message or by posting your own pledge on your Facebook wall. I also encourage you to change your Facebook profile to the ASK logo. ASKing Saves Kids. www.askingsaveskids.org

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL KIT

1 in 3

IF THEANSWER IS “NO”

IF THEANSWER IS “YES”

Sources:Johnson R, Coyne-Beasley T, Runyan C. Firearm Ownership and Storage Practices, U.S. Households, 1992–2002: A Systematic Review. AJPM.2004;27:2:173-182.Yearly average, most recent 5 years of data retrieved from CDC, NCIPC, WISQARS [online]. [cited 2014 Apr 4]. http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/.

If there are any doubts about the safety of another home, invite the kids to your house instead.

that’s one less thing you have to worry about.

make sure all guns are stored unloaded and locked, ideally in a gun safe, with ammunition locked separately.

18,000+

homes with children in America have guns, many unlocked or loaded.

children and teens are injured or killed each year due to gun violence.

Hiding guns is not enough. Just talking to kids is not enough. Kids are curious and if they find guns they’re likely to play with them.

ASK:Is there an

unlocked gun where my child plays?

For more information on how to keep your kids safe visit WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG.

Sample 2Hiding guns is not enough. Just talking to kids is not enough. Kids are curious and if they find guns they’re likely to play with them. For more information on how to keep your kids safe visit www.askingsaveskids.org.

Sample 3Your Daughter Has Quite The ‘Adult’ Vocabulary.”

Awkward conversations come with being a parent. But one could save your child’s life.

ASK, “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” before your child plays at, or visits, another home. Visit www.askingsaveskids.org to learn more.

Sample 4“Is There An Unlocked Gun In Your House?”

Awkward conversations come with being a parent. But one could save your child’s life.

ASK, “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” before your child plays at, or visits, another home. Visit www.askingsaveskids.org to learn more.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE �

DOWNLOAD IMAGE � DOWNLOAD IMAGE �

DOWNLOAD IMAGE �

ASK TOOLKIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG 12

Sample TweetsBelow are some sample tweets with images. Please make sure to use #ASKingSavesKids in any tweet.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL KIT

Watch the ASK Campaign Public Service Announcement on YouTube Æ

1 out of 3 homes with kids have guns. Make sure you ASK if there’s a gun where your child plays or visits! #ASKingSavesKids

9 children and teens are shot each day in gun accidents. #ASK if there’s an unlocked gun where your kid plays #ASKingSavesKids

Awkward conversations come with being a parent: #ASKing if there’s an unlocked gun in the house could save your child’s life #ASKingSavesKids

80% of unintentional firearm deaths of children under 15 occur in a home. #ASK if there’s an unlocked gun in the house #ASKingSavesKids

DOWNLOAD IMAGE � DOWNLOAD IMAGE � DOWNLOAD IMAGE �

DOWNLOAD IMAGE �

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG ASK TOOLKIT 13

Additional ResourcesThe following are additional resources that will help you spread the ASK message and execute ASK Campaign activities in your community:

• ASK Brochure

• ASK Infographics

• ASK Pledge and Sign-Up Sheet

• ASK Poster

These resources are also available at: www.askingsaveskids.org.

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The problem:Easy access to guns can lead to tragic consequences for children

The solution:ASK, “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” before your child plays at another home

children ages 5-14 know where firearms are kept in the home.3

The reality:Children often have easy access to guns in the home

percent of parents with guns keepat least oneunlocked.2

percent of parents with guns keep at least one loaded.242% 25%

3 in 4

9 children and teens are shot every day in gun accidents. That's over 3,000 youth every year.5

Guns are the 2nd leading cause of death among children and teens.4

of firearm related deaths of children under 15 are unintentional shootings.4

18,000+ youth are injured or killed each year due to gun violence.4,5

93% of parents, including parents who choose to own guns, would be comfortable with being asked about a gun in their home.2

19 Million parents have already begun ASKing this life-saving question!6

Pledge to ASK!

1 in 3 homes with children in America have guns, many unlocked or loaded.1

One question could save your child's life

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG

1Johnson R, Coyne-Beasley T, Runyan C. Firearm Ownership and Storage Practices, U.S. Households, 1992–2002: A Systematic Review. AJPM.2004; 27:2:173-182.

2National Survey commissioned by PAX, Inc. Conducted online Dec 1-7, 2011. Survey size: 1,014 parents with children between the ages of 5-18. Margin of error is +/-3.1%.

3Baxley F, Miller M. Parental Misperceptions About Children and Firearms. APAM.2006; 160:5:542-547.

4Most recent 5 years of data retrieved from CDC, NCIPC, WISQARS [online]. [cited 2014 Apr 4]. http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal.html.

5Most recent 5 years of data retrieved from CDC, NCIPC, WISQARS [online]. [cited 2014 Apr 4]. http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/nonfatal.html.

6National Survey commissioned by PAX, Inc. Conducted Jan 24-Feb 4, 2006. Survey size: 500 parents with children between the ages of 5-14. Margin of error is +/-4.38%.

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IF THEANSWER IS “NO”

IF THEANSWER IS “YES”

Sources:Johnson R, Coyne-Beasley T, Runyan C. Firearm Ownership and Storage Practices, U.S. Households, 1992–2002: A Systematic Review. AJPM.2004;27:2:173-182.Yearly average, most recent 5 years of data retrieved from CDC, NCIPC, WISQARS [online]. [cited 2014 Apr 4]. http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/.

If there are any doubts about the safety of another home, invite the kids to your house instead.

that’s one less thing you have to worry about.

make sure all guns are stored unloaded and locked, ideally in a gun safe, with ammunition locked separately.

18,000+

homes with children in America have guns, many unlocked or loaded.

children and teens are injured or killed each year due to gun violence.

Hiding guns is not enough. Just talking to kids is not enough. Kids are curious and if they find guns they’re likely to play with them.

ASK:Is there an

unlocked gun where my child plays?

For more information on how to keep your kids safe visit WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG.

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“I, UH, CAUGHT OUR KIDS PLAYING

DOCTOR.”

AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS COME WITH BEING A PARENT,

“IT APPEARS YOUR SON LOVES TO DRAW...

ON EVERYTHING.”

“THE KIDS KINDA GOT INTO MY OLD

VIDEO COLLECTION.”

“IS THERE AN UNLOCKED GUN IN YOUR HOUSE?”“YOUR DAUGHTER

HAS QUITE THE ‘ADULT’ VOCABULARY.”

“SO... YOUR SON

SORTA FLOODED MY BATHROOM.”

BUT ONE COULD SAVE YOUR CHILD’S LIFE.

ASKASKINGSAVESKIDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE, VISIT WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG

WWW.ASKINGSAVESKIDS.ORG