Circles of Safety: Awareness to Action for Youth-Serving Professionals
Circles of Safety teaches and supports all adults to understand and respond to both children’s sexual behaviors and adult behaviors that put children at risk for sexual harm. Bringing both the research and facts and the personal stories and experiences from Stop It Now!’s Helpline and public education activities, Circles of Safety is designed to help adults in youth-serving organizations not only learn about the scope of sexual abuse and prevention strategies, but to feel confident, comfortable, and empowered to take action steps to keep children safe from sexual harm. Sexual abuse thrives in secrecy and the unknown. By learning about healthy sexuality, the warning signs of potentially harmful and abusive sexual behaviors, and safety planning and responding to warning signs participants will be better prepared to know when to act and how to address risks of sexual abuse and harm.
Through the lens of primary prevention this training provides factual information and a shared language. These foundations promote informed approaches to both create healthy and safe environments for youth and to recognize and respond in situations where prevention tools are needed before a child is harmed or there’s an offender to punish.
Participants are trained in how to take active roles in prevention. This online learning format is a combination of lecture, discussion, activities, personal reflections, and role plays designed to maximize participation and engagement. Homework questions are given so that each participant can start to think about their personal experiences through a prevention lens. Through case examples and stories from our helpline participants learn about the continuum of prevention – when to act proactively and when they need to respond to warning signs and possible abuse.
Hard-copy manuals available. For more info, see FAQs below.
Upcoming Training Dates:
Dates: Monday, 5/8/2023 through Thursday, 5/11/2023; 1:00pm – 4:00pm ET. (4 consecutive days)
Registration: Click Here(link is external)
Course Agenda & Objectives: Click Here
Cost: $285
Recommended Audience: Professional caregivers, (i.e. foster parents, youth residential staff, youth program support staff, sexual assault and response professionals, child protective service professionals, child and family advocacy professionals, educational professionals) youth-serving organization employees in any role, and anyone interested in preventing child sexual abuse.
Course content level: Beginning level
Presenters: Click here
“[the facilitators] were very warm and welcoming as trainers – they definitely built a ‘safe space’ for participants.”
– Community prevention program director