School-based child sexual abuse prevention and intervention - Translating research and best practices into a program

The global, non-profit organization Committee for Children developed the Child Protection Unit (CPU) based on the latest research and best practices for effective child sexual abuse prevention and intervention. The innovative... [ view full abstract ]

The global, non-profit organization Committee for Children developed the Child Protection Unit (CPU) based on the latest research and best practices for effective child sexual abuse prevention and intervention. The innovative program includes robust training and resources for administrators, program directors, and staff who work with children; classroom lessons and activities for children; and resources for families.

The training for school administrators and program leaders helps them assess their current child protection policies, procedures, and practices. This in turn helps them develop a comprehensive child protection strategy that aligns with current research and best practice. This includes specific policies and procedures designed to protect children from abuse in a school or youth program setting, such as a staff code of conduct and procedures for screening and hiring staff and volunteers as well as for reporting staff violations of protection policies.

The CPU specifically prepares staff to recognize common indicators of abuse and neglect and report according to their school or program’s reporting procedures when they have “reasonable cause to believe” that a child is being abused and/or neglected.

A key component of primary sexual abuse prevention is to encourage parents and caregivers to talk with their children about child sexual abuse. However, this is hard for many parents to do because it is a difficult topic to discuss. The CPU includes media and resources for families that will help them talk with their children about sexual abuse.

The CPU lessons teach children how to refuse unsafe and sexually abusive situations and touches. In addition, the lessons encourage teaching children to recognize unsafe and abusive situations and to immediately report these situations to adults. Each lesson also comes with a fun activity that children can do with a parent or caregiver at home to further practice the skills they have learned.