Boston Children’s Museum Child Porn Bust… Quote from website article written by Paul Fest, WBZ…
“According to prosecutors, an employee of the museum approached Boston Police and Suffolk prosecutors on April 9 after discovering an unfamiliar thumb drive in her car, plugging it into a computer, and finding that it contained apparent images of child pornography. The employee told investigators that she allowed some co-workers – including Fest – to use her car for errands and did not know who the owner of the thumb drive was.”
Family Support Training from Children’s Trust Massachusetts… Quote from this website…
“The Talking About Touching child personal safety curriculum is a research-based program for children Pre-K to Grade 3 developed by Committee for Children in Seattle, Washington. It offers age appropriate ways to teach children skills to keep them safe from the dangers of abusive situations. Talking About Touching empowers children to tell an adult to get help if something happened. Participants learn skills to take an active role in protecting children from abuse by learning best practices to teach Talking About Touching to staff, children, and parents, understand and train others on the indicators of abuse, how to handle disclosures, and about the responsibilities of being a mandated reporter.”
Child Safety for Pre-schoolers from OneToughJob.org… Quote from this website…
Child personal safety tips for young children
- Teach your child to know and say his first name and last name.
- Discuss with your child what he can do to make sure other children do not get lost.
- Teach your child about the “buddy system” and how to use it.
- Help your child remember that guns are not toys. If someone wants to play with a gun, he should say, “No, that’s not safe,” and then tell a grown-up about the gun.
- Teach your child the “always-ask-first-rule.” Teach your child that he must always ask you or another person in charge first to go somewhere with someone. Your child must understand that he must ask first to go away with someone. Practice the “always-ask-first-rule” with your child.
- Tell your child that if someone is touching him and he wants them to stop, he can and needs to say words that mean “No!” Let your child know, the person must stop the touching. Similarly, if your child is touching someone else and that person says, “No,” your child needs to be respectful and stop.
- Help your child practice safety rules , like saying “No,” getting away, and telling a responsible grown up.
- Your child should know this rule: A bigger person should not touch a child’s private body parts except to keep them clean and healthy. If someone does, a child needs to say words that mean “No.” Then get away and tell a grown up.
- Tell your child to never keep a secret about touching.
*****
As a board member and children’s advocate of www.neighborsforkids.org…”Kids Zone” in Depoe Bay, Oregon, this news hits close to home! We just received, follow-up child safety training, entitled “Darkness to Light,” from the Lincoln County Children’s Advocacy Center… As a non-profit public private partnership we are mandated to be up to speed on child abuse legal reporting guidelines and what to look for. Child safety is our number one priority at Kids Zone! Safety is probably the one topic we talk about the most with parents, staff, and at our monthly board meetings. In our mission statement, “safe” is the most critical word we use.
“Neighbors for Kids’ mission is to provide youth in our region with educational enrichment, positive youth development, and recreational activities; all in a safe environment, which focuses them toward healthy lifestyles and leads them to become responsible, contributing adults.”
Please take quality time and check out the story and critical resources referenced above. Please do your part in helping to keep our kids safe!
Steve Sparks, Author, My Journey of Healing in Life After Trauma and Reconciliation: A Son’s Story…
Vice Chair, Neighbors for Kids, Depoe, Bay, Oregon
Children’s Advocacy Center Facebook
