Handle With Care

Handle with Care is a statewide initiative that strengthens collaboration between law enforcement and schools to support children who may have been impacted by a traumatic event. Any law enforcement agency in Kentucky with access to KYOPS can initiate a Handle with Care notification to any participating school registered within the statewide system.

When law enforcement officers respond to a crime, accident, or other traumatic event, they identify children who may have been impacted and notify the child’s school. No details regarding the incident are shared. The notification contains only the child’s name, age, school, and the words “Handle with Care.” The notice is sent through a confidential email and/or text message to designated school personnel before the start of the next school day, allowing the school to provide appropriate support and understanding while maintaining confidentiality.

The purpose of Handle with Care is to help lessen the impact trauma can have on a child’s well-being, relationships, and ability to learn. By providing schools with early awareness that a student may have been impacted by a traumatic event, school personnel can respond with empathy, understanding, and trauma-informed support. This early awareness helps foster a safe and supportive learning environment while creating opportunities to connect students and families with school counselors, mental health professionals, and other supportive services when needed.