Child Sexual Abuse Prevention/Education

An end of a semester

As we wind down the fall 2024 semester for the year with visions of rest and relaxation dancing in our heads, we reflect on the impact that our small but mighty team of three have had on students in the last few months.

To date we have visited:

• 21 Elementary schools
• 4 Middle Schools
• 2 High Schools

We have presented to:

• 10,650 Elementary school students
• 2,262 Middle school students
• 1,403 High school students

Totaling 14,315 students between August 1^st and December 15^th

We know the impact and importance that our visits have on these schools and students. We’ve experienced hugs and disclosures, seen students empowered to come forward and advocate on their behalf, heard teachers tell us that this is such helpful information for their students. To know that students are taking what we say to heart and learning/applying our conversations to help keep themselves safe from harm or further harm, is gratifying.

We know from research and personal stories that students often face abuse and bullying types of challenges during the holidays, a time when many family members are around and where a child might not be able to escape forms of abuse. Knowing that we’ve taught them behaviors and red flags to watch out for and safe adults that they can talk to, we hope that we have helped them to see that there are adults out there that want to help them and know who they can go to for help. We will continue to give our time and attention to students who wish to talk because you never know what will be said.

In closing out this half of the school year we’re happy to have impacted so many students. It’s been busy! The next semester brings on new challenges (winter weather) and for now we have 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 1 high school scheduled and we continue to add to our spring schedule as we progress through the school year.

Wishing you and your family many blessings this holiday season.

~ The Prevention & Education Team: Jennifer, Tami, and Emily ~

In the Photo:  P&E Team Members include --

Jennifer Potter, P&E Coordinator (2^nd row, 4^th from Left)

Tami Malloy, P&E Advocate (3^rd row, 1^st from Left)

Emily Cree, P&E Advocate (4^th row, 1^st from Left)

Shana Robertson, Community Relations Director (1^st row, 2^nd from Left) our original P&E Team presenter!

Are you ready for SCHOOL?

It’s the end of summer and fall is right around the corner and that means only one thing for the Prevention & Education Department at Fair Haven – no, not Pumpkin Spice Lattes, though those might be necessary on those early mornings, it means we are BACK TO SCHOOL!

Our summer break ended, and we started back in school on August 29^th.  The summer was a time for us to regroup and refresh, literally.  Our agency achieved a new status – one of ownership – as our Executive Director signed the documents that officially made the building ours!  There was a lot of construction taking place this summer to reconfigure the space to our agency’s needs.  And, excitingly, the P&E department moved into a larger office space which means that our entire department is now housed together in one location!  There is still more construction to be done as our agency adds to its collective of community services and we continue to grow and serve our community.

Our department had the opportunity to provide in-house prevention education to children of clients over the summer, training services to summer camp counselors at the State Park, attended community events, attended training at the state-wide Prevention Education Coalition meeting in Indianapolis, reviewed curriculum changes, trained a new Prevention Education Advocate, completed professional development training, moved office spaces, and completed lots of planning for the school year.

We ordered 8,000 coloring books and workbooks for students grades K through 6^th. Students K-2 receive a take-home coloring book while students 3-6 receive a take-home workbook.  This is only half of what we will need for the entire year.  The next order will be made about mid-September for another 8,000 books.  It takes our entire department to stamp, label, count, and sort all those books.  We want to ensure that we can put information into the hands of our older kids too, those in middle and high school, by providing them with simple takeaways such as bookmarks with Crisis Hotline numbers printed on them and informational sheets.  We’d love to provide pencils or fidget items too to keep hands busy and minds focused.  If you would like to contribute and make a difference in a student’s life through support of our program, please consider making a donation to our project #37814 Child Sexual Abuse Prevention/Education or share with family, friends, and colleagues.

The next update will see us close to winter and the school year under full swing.  We are looking forward to being that safe adult for kids and young people and look forward to making a difference in a child’s life.  Thank you, as always, for your support in this endeavor.  Remember, you can help too by ensuring that your State has passed the law known as Erin’s Law that requires public schools to provide Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education.  Our agency provides this service at no cost to schools so that funding is not a barrier to schools completing this all-important education.  Please continue to support agencies such as ours and the grant funders that help our agency to continue to provide this much needed community education service.

See below/attached for tips on how to keep your child/teen safe.

Have a wonderful fall!

Links:

• Fair Haven RCC Prevention and Education Donation Link

• FAQs (DOCX)
• Safeguarding Tips (PDF)