The Advocate Newsletter – August 2019

Welcome to The Advocate Newsletter!

As store shelves are filled with school supplies, it becomes apparent that summer is almost over. It is an exciting time for many children; some are starting school for the first time and others are excited for their final year to start. We at The Child Center, Inc. are excited about the new school year too! When classes start back up that means our Prevention Education team starts teaching safety programs for children again.

For years The Child Center, Inc. has been providing Prevention Education programs to children, parents, and professionals in the communities that we serve. During the summer, the team spends time educating adults by offering Mandated Reporter Trainings. Professionals who work with the children in our community are taught how to recognize the hidden signs of abuse and how to report their suspicions.

When school starts, our Prevention Education Specialists will once again work with children in Pre-K to Middle School and discuss topics such as Body Safety, Internet Safety, Online Enticement, and Sexual Harassment. The primary focus of these programs is to educate children about appropriate boundaries and to empower victims to disclose abuse to safe and trusted adults. These conversations are so important! When a child has been taught Body Safety and it’s reinforced like other safety rules, it informs others that the child has body safety knowledge; and that child is less likely to be targeted by abusers. We encourage parents and caregivers to start and continue these conversations at home.

Prevention Tips for Parents:

• No one should look at or touch private body parts unless the child is asking for help.
• Knowledge of correct names for private body parts gives children the language to tell a trusted adult.
• It’s ok to say “NO” to anyone if they are making them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Hugs and kisses are always optional.
• Establishing a no secret rule in your family will help keep open communication in your household.
• Be involved. Ask questions when your child is with someone else; family, friends, school.
• Talk to your child every day and take time to really listen and observe.

By educating the adults in our community and by having conversations early and often with our children, we can change the statistics of abuse and keep our children safe. Let’s keep our children safe and help them have a great school year.

We are in this together,

Elphanie “Sissy” Swift
Executive Director

PS: More tips can be found here!