EXPLORING CHILDREN'S PERCEPTION OF SAFETY FROM BULLYING AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

How much have Malaysian cities become child-friendly places? The primary aims of this research are to examine children's perspectives on safety in both the school environment and the broader urban context and to determine whether elements of the built environment are among their safety-related concerns. A research investigation was carried out in the metropolitan regions of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, focusing on a sample of five primary schools to assess the utilisation of different strategies to incorporate children aged 7 to 9. The study employed a variety of methodologies encompassing activities within the arts, communication, and literature. The examination consisted of three discrete indicators of safety, namely safety within educational institutions, safety on transportation routes, and safety within urban environments. Despite their limited cognitive abilities to discern between various safety components related to their physical environment, children can articulate their thoughts on safety concerning those in close vicinity, such as their friends and family members. It is fascinating that the children exhibit heightened proficiency in expressing their viewpoints on safety through artistic and literary modalities. In conclusion, our study has revealed that the built environment has a substantial impact on children's impression of safety inside both school and urban settings.