Center for Child Counseling launches an online platform to ensure children grow up safe from abuse
Boca Raton, FL – 28 states, including Florida, and D.C. have passed legislation mandating instruction within schools on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention, as of January 2023. Unfortunately, 14 states have no laws in place. Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) wants to ensure every student throughout Florida, and across the United States, is protected and safe from abuse. To attain this goal, the Palm Beach Gardens-based agency recently launched beKidSafe.org–an online platform with prevention education for all adults who work with children.
Every nine minutes, a child is a victim of sexual abuse and assault (rainn.org). Florida ranks third in the nation in calls to the National Human Trafficking hotline. It is reported far too often—teachers, coaches, pastors, priests, family members, friends, neighbors, political and business leaders charged with sexual assault. One in four girls and one in thirteen boys will report they were sexually abused by the age of 18. 70 to 90 percent of commercially exploited youth have a history of child sexual abuse. Awareness of these offenders and those victims being grotesquely violated and trafficked is not enough: the abuse needs to be stopped before it happens!
beKidSafe.org is a platform for educators, camp staff, and other child-facing professionals to easily access online training programs, like Stay KidSafe!™ and CampSafe®, and workshops to learn how to keep children safe through effective strategies that prevent abuse, build safety and communication skills, promote positive relationships and resilience, and identify risk early.
Stay KidSafe!™ is an online training designed to provide educators and students with the awareness and knowledge needed to prevent child sexual abuse. Since 2009, the Stay KidSafe!™ program has empowered more than 60,000 children with personal safety education and has taught more than 50,000 parents, guardians, teachers, and child-serving professionals how to keep kids safe. In addition to protecting children from sexual abuse, KidSafe teaches children safety tools and skills that help them make safe and smart choices in all areas as they become healthy, powerful adults.
CampSafe® ultimately serves the same purpose as Stay KidSafe!™ but is training for camp leadership and staff. For summer 2023, more than 7,000 camp staff across 75 camps participated in the CampSafe® training program, protecting more than 37,000 campers from child sexual abuse.
Sexual abuse and human trafficking can have long-lasting physical and emotional effects, including: depression, eating disorders, self-blame, self-destructive behaviors, intergenerational cyclical abuse, learning disabilities, drug abuse.
“As devastating as this public health crisis is, sexual abuse and these long-term effects can be prevented through education. We created beKidSafe.org to make it easy for ALL adults to become trauma-aware and recognize and stop childhood trauma and abuse in its tracks.” stated Renée Layman, CEO for Center for Child Counseling.
The training programs and workshops offered on beKidSafe.org were developed by professionals with expertise in sexual abuse prevention and training. Center for Child Counseling partnered with experts in learning and development, using the most up-to-date elearn method utilizes engaging, child-friendly content, including professionally animated videos and age-appropriate safety skills and lessons.
Stay KidSafe!™ is available at no cost to child-serving organizations and schools in Palm Beach County, FL, and reduced cost to other schools and districts throughout the state and country thanks to financial support from partner organizations, such as: Impact the Palm Beaches, the Morgridge Family Foundation, Boca Regional Hospital, Boca West Children’s Foundation, The Batchelor Foundation, First Horizon Foundation, Florida Blue Foundation, and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
For teachers, schools, districts, and parents interested in learning more about how to be proactive in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse, visit bekidsafe.org or email info@centerforchildcounseling.org to learn more.
Layman emphasized, “Education is the key to prevention–we must empower our schools, homes, and communities with the tools to teach children and adults how to keep kids safe. It’s time we move beyond awareness and take action to stop sexual abuse before it happens so kids can grow up to be healthy, powerful adults!”
About Center for Child Counseling
Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc