Stranger danger - when and how to raise this issue?

[Utka]

DD1 is 4.5 and starting school tomorrow. She's been going to pre-school for the last 2 years, and is used to being away from us, but dh and I have suddenly realised that we've never really discussed the whole issue of 'stranger danger' with her.

She's going to a one-class-per-year infant school that's round the corner, and knows lots of people there already. She knows she would only collected by someone she knows, but is a very confident and trusting child and I worry about what she might get herself into!

Is this dealt with at school? Obviously we need to discuss it with her, but I'm worried that a) it may be too early and b) we may mishandle it and end up scaring her or overloading her with info. I don't want her to be worried about new adults in the school setting, or anxious about school itself, but her social circle is obviously going to be widening and she may hear things from other children on the subject that could confuse her. We've been extremely protective in terms of what she's watched on TV as she's got a vivid enough imagination as it is!

Any thoughts on how to tackle this would be much appreciated!

Utka,

I don't think your dd is too young to discuss this issue with although obviously, as you're aware, it's got to be done in the right way so that you don't alarm her.
I am in Scotland (so if you're in England I don't know what the situation is there) and I know they cover the issue in Primary Schools but, I think, at an older age than your dd is. Personally, I would prefer to at least mention the subject initially myself at home.
When my eldest was about your dd's age I got a really good book from the ELC, which I used to talk about the issue in, what I hoped, was a 'down-to-earth, non-threatening' way. I still have the book somewhere but can't remember what it was called and haven't seen it on sale recently so it's probably out of print. The message it tried to get over was that 1) what a stranger was 2) that most strangers are fine but that 3) some strangers aren't and you cant tell these 'bad' strangers just by looking at them and 4) what a child should do if they felt threatened or worried by a stranger.
Maybe a good book would help you talk about stranger-danger with your dd. I had a quick look on the web and maybe something like
this might be okay.
Hope this helps and hope your dd's first day at school goes okay...for both of you

I've been talking to my DD about it since she got big enough to run off and play in the park..she is 5 and I've two smaller ones so can't always hare after her.

Also she told me that they discussed it at school with a policeman last year (reception).

It's the schools responsibilty to ensure they hand over to the right person at this age.

DD1's pre school had a "talk" from the police all about this, and she recites it back at me constantly.

Thanks for these everyone, and thanks for the book recommendation Tabitha - I'll check it out at the bookshop. I think perhaps that a book is the best way in which to raise the issue; just starting a conversation about it seems a bit false, and she's got so much else on her mind I don't want to overload her!