Printable Version of Lesson One

(NOTE: This is the printable version of Lesson Three only. Please go to First Page of Lesson One and Lesson Two to download the printable version of those chapters.)

In Lesson 3, you will learn...

Lesson Three: Children Who Use Fire

We often say that it's normal that children "play" with fire. Many of us who are taking this class experimented with candles, and matches, and fire when we were children. Fire has a power and a fascination for many children. It important to understand that there are different levels of this fascination. And it's also important to understand the danger in all fire. A fire set by a child experimenting with a lighter can cause as much damage as a teen who intentionally sets a fire. But the ways we work with children may vary depending on the type of firesetting behavior it is.

Misuse Of Fire Happens On A Continuum

Why do children set fires? There can many different reasons. The boxes below show that we can place children and adolescents who use fire in three different categories: Curiosity, Definite Concern, and Extreme Concern.

Children Who Set Fires Out Of Curiosity

The biggest group of children misuse fire out of CURIOSITY. They are usually young, play in secret and have access to lighters and matches. They “play with fire” to see what will happen, but probably don’t have the motive of destroying a house or hurting anyone. They often try to light materials that they find around the home, such as paper or cloth They may try to put them out, instead of letting them burn.

These children often imitate the adults around them who they see lighting cigarettes, candles, fireplaces or cooking grills. Most often these children are younger, but some children with developmental delays may fit in the curiosity category.

These children most often need fire safety education and supervision. Caretakers of these children also need education and skills for making their home safe from fires.

Firesetting That Is Of Definite Concern

Some children’s misuse of fire is of DEFINITE CONCERN. These children are emotionally troubled . They may be acting out in other ways, set fires to get attention or use fire to destroy clothes or personal property that hold some meaning to them.

These children are typically older, such as between 7 and 14. but can be of any age. Something may be upsetting them or troubling them and they may not have very good skills to talk about them. They may set fires to get attention or in a veiled way to let adults know they are hurting.

Sometimes these children have mental emotional disturbances or are psychologically stressed because of events in their life. These children may be beginning a pattern of misusing fire to gain attention or to cry out for help. Like the curiosity fire setter, these children often set fairly simple fires and use matches and lighters and materials around the house.

These children need fire safety education too, but will also benefit from counseling for the underlying problems. Some children may be very troubled or have mental health problems such as a conduct disorder. Firesetters of Definite Concern usually benefit from a combination of fire safety education and mental health counseling or intervention. Again, parents and caretakers also benefit from fire safety education in this category.

Firesetting That Is Of Extreme Concern

Firesetting that is considered EXTREME CONCERN is the most dangerous of the continuum of why children misuse fire. This is a small percentage of children who set fires, about 2 to 5%.

These are usually older adolescents often have a history of medical or neurological problems, academic and behavior problems. They have a long history of fascination with and misuse of fires and have probably set dozens of fires. These children may find pleasure or gratification in setting a fire, or use fire as a way to get revenge on people who have wronged them or made fun of them

The severely disturbed fire setter has often been a victim of physical or sexual abuse, and may get sexual pleasure or excitement in the planning and setting of fires. They may intend to cause damage or injury to others. They have a history of chronic, disruptive behavior and often a diagnosis of conduct disorder. These children and youth already know the danger of fire. Their fires may be well planned, and are often ignited with fire starting materials such as gas or kerosene.

Fire education is not what these children need. These children need assessment and intense mental health intervention, possibly even residential treatment.

Knowing the Warning Signs of Firesetting Behavior

When Should A Resource Family Be Concerned About Firesetting?

What Children Need

How Can All Families Keep Themselves Safer?

Strategy #1: Educate Yourself About The Misuse Of Fire By Children.

Learn everything you can about fire use in children. Start with the Bibliography/Other Resources page for this course to begin. Ask your caseworker for suggestions of where to go in your own community.

Strategy #2: Do Everything You Can To Control Your Home Environment.

Lock up matches and lighters. Set a good example when it comes to using fire. Provide good supervision for children and teens and keep kids busy and occupied. Make sure your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are maintained and working. Be diligent in practicing your fire escape plan. Educate your children that fire is a tool, not a toy or play thing.

Strategy #3: Get Your Child Assessed For Firesetting.

If you are caring for a child that uses fire, talk to your caseworker, a knowledgeable mental health professional or your local fire department. As assessment can help determine the cause behind the fire use and suggest appropriate intervention with the child or adolescent.

Read this short article on what to do if a child with firesetting behaviors is placed in your home. This article comes from a self study packet from the Alaska Center for Resource Families entitled Fostering a Fire Safe Home.

A Note For Foster Parents With A Child With Firesetting History in Your Home:

From Fostering a Fire Safe Home: A Guide For Foster Parents Caring For A Child With Firesetting Behavior. Assembled by the Alaska Center for Resource Families and the Anchorage Fire Department FIRE STOPPERS Program.

The reason most children come into foster care is because of child protective reasons. So the initial information gathering focuses on the parent’s actions or inactions and the safety needs of the child or adolescent. The Office of Children's Services, the State of Alaska agency that investigates child abuse reports, rarely gets a complete history of a child’s behavior and past before placing him in foster care. If a child has a history of setting fires, you may or may not know that. If the OCS worker knows a child has a history of setting fires, this information should be shared with you. But you as the foster parent may be the first in the system to know. Pay particular attention to children who seem fascinated with fire or candles, who start talking about fire a lot, or who like to draw pictures of fire. Pay attention to children who stash matches or steal lighters from other’s purses.

If a child with a firesetting history is placed in your home, you may consider taking some of the following precautions:

-- Install numerous smoke detectors throughout the house. (More than the one required for each floor.) The same for fire extinguishers.

-- Lock up fire starting materials, including matches, barbeque lighters, cigarette lighters, gasoline and kerosene. Pay attention to stoves, ovens and furnaces as a source of ignition.

-- Let children know clearly that matches, lighters and other firesetting material is not allowed. Conduct regular searches of pants pockets, dresser drawers, backpacks, rooms, and jackets for firesetting materials. Let the child know that you will be doing this on a regular basis. Remember, children can pick up matches in restaurant, so carefully monitor these children in public places.

-- Some foster homes with children who have a serious history of firesetting also install motion detectors and surveillance cameras to help with supervision of children.

-- Train all the children in the home to let an adult know about unsafe situations or activity involving fire.

-- If the child has not yet been assessed for his or her firesetting behavior, talk to the social worker about having an assessment completed and follow through with all suggestions.

-- Children who have serious firesetting behaviors usually have other emotional problems and difficulties. Work with a mental health counselor on these issues and educate the counselor on firesetting issues (such as sharing this self study with the counselor.)

-- Report all firesetting behavior to the social worker and to the police.

WARNING SIGNALS:

Fascination with fires and candles

Stashing matches or lighters; hiding or hoarding matches

Talk about fires

Smelling smoke in bedrooms, bathrooms or hiding places

Past history of misuse of fire

Other signs of stress related misbehavior such as lying, stealing, enuresis or cruelty to animals

For more information about Firesetting Behaviors in Children, check out the bibliography and resources page for this course by going to Bibliography/Other Resources.

Conclusion

We all want our families to be safe and stay safe. But when fire comes to our homes, we also want our children to be prepared and be ready. The foster care regulations provide several guidelines for making sure that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are available in homes, but the real education and preparedness takes place through knowledge and practice.

In this course, you learned how to make a basic fire escape plan, the requirements of the foster care regulations, the elements of a good fire drill, how to use a fire extinguishers, and the "red flags" of child fire setting behavior. We wish your home a safe and happy year!

Review of Lesson Three

Take this review of Lesson Three to check what you learned about children who use fire.

1. Which group of children who misuse fire does the following describe?: Usually between 7 and 14. Something may be troubling them and they may set fires to get attention or in a veiled way to let adults know they are hurting.

2. Which group of children who misuse fire does the following describe?: They are usually young, play in secret and have access to lighters and matches. They light materials that they find around the home and usually try to put them out, instead of letting them burn.

3.Which group of children who misuse fire does the following describe?: Usually older adolescents often have a history of medical or neurological problems, academic and behavior problems. These children may find pleasure or gratification in setting a fire, or use fire as a way to get revenge on people who have wronged them or made fun of them.

4. Usually a brief visit to the fire house with a ride on a truck or a brief "lecture" from a local Fire Chief is enough for a younger with a history of impulsivity, depression and/or family conflict.

5. Which of the following are warning signs that a child may have serious issues with using fires ?

COURSE: Fire Safety Course For Resource Families

Lesson Three: Children Who Use Fire

Copyright by the Alaska Center for Resource Families, 2006

Printable Version of Lesson Three

In Lesson 3, you will learn...

Lesson Three: Children Who Use Fire

Why Do Children Use Fire?

Children Who Set Fires Out Of Curiosity

Firesetting That Is Of Definite Concern

Firesetting That Is Of Extreme Concern

Knowing the Warning Signs of Firesetting Behavior

When Should A Resource Family Be Concerned About Firesetting?

What Children Need

How Can All Families Keep Themselves Safer?

Strategy #1: Educate Yourself About The Misuse Of Fire By Children.

Strategy #2: Do Everything You Can To Control Your Home Environment.

Strategy #3: Get Your Child Assessed For Firesetting.

A Note For Foster Parents With A Child With Firesetting History in Your Home:

WARNING SIGNALS:

Conclusion

Review of Lesson Three

CORRECT ANSWERS:

In LESSON THREE, you learned about the continuum of firesetting behaviors and explored strategies to increase the safety and supervision of your foster home. Click here to continue on to the CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONNAIRE.