Taking Protective Steps During the Coronavirus Pandemic

| By Darkness to Light
Categories: General News, Home, Our Perspective
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From all of us at the Darkness to Light office, we hope you are staying safe and protected from COVID-19.

The impact of the coronavirus is being felt across the world, and we know it may be difficult to maintain your normal child protective steps while adapting to the ever-changing environment. Your child’s school has been canceled (maybe even for weeks!) and there is a coronavirus quarantine, but you still have to go to work. What do you do? Of course, best practice suggests that you prescreen your childcare providers, check references, and hold a pre-sitting “interview” to get to know them and their skillset. But during this temporary “new normal,” that simply may not be possible.

Here are some protective steps you can still take to keep your child as safe as possible:

  • Protecting Children During a Crisis: We need to be prepared to continue protecting kids to the best of our ability under any circumstances. The Protecting Children During a Crisis online training is designed to help you navigate through the unusual circumstances you might face during times of crisis. It will help you consider your current strategies, help you identify the new situation, and help you change your strategy. You can access it online at no cost by registering here.
  • Talk to your kids: A quick lesson in proper handwashing can turn into a chat about body safety, or any topic that contributes to meaningful discussion together. These conversations help build a sense of trust, safety, and reliance in children. For more information or strategies for talking with kids, you can access our 30-minute “Talking with Children” online training at no charge by registering here and using code Talk2020.
  • Talk to organizations that take care of your children: Discuss safety procedures with any organizations that are still operating children’s programs. Asking about COVID-19 safety procedures can be a great segue into discussing sexual abuse protection policies. You may want to review our “Step Up and Speak Out: Parent’s Guide to Selecting Youth Serving Organizations” One Sheet, which is available as a free download.
  • In a bind for a babysitter? During this difficult time, it’s been so inspiring to see communities coming together to help each other. Even if your child is being watched by someone trusted, such as a neighbor, friend, or family member, keep in mind the second of the 5 Steps to Protecting Children™: Minimize Opportunity. More than 80% of sexual abuse cases occur in isolated, one-on-one situations. By being aware of three main principles: prevent isolation, keep situations interruptible, and set expectations, you can dramatically reduce the risk of sexual abuse. Above all, be clear with both the sitter and your kids about the family rules so that everyone understands the expectations and knows how to speak up if they aren’t met.
    • Preventing Isolation: Make a rule that doors must be open at all times. Encourage activities and behaviors that include the whole group and discourage individual pursuits. Consider making certain areas of the house off-limits while you’re away, like basements or bedrooms.
    • Keeping Situations Interruptible: Make sure the sitter knows that you’ll be checking in with the kids – it may even be a good idea to circle back by the house and drop in while you’re supposed to be out. You could also ask a “safe” neighbor or family member to drop by unannounced for you. Confirm boundaries with your kids and remind them that if anyone makes them feel uncomfortable, they can tell you. A phone call is a quick way to check-in and gauge the situation.
    • Setting Expectations: Ask the sitter to come over early so you can speak to them and set expectations. Let the sitter know that your kids know about body safety and boundaries and that you don’t keep secrets from each other. Being upfront with this information can often be a deterrent to inappropriate behavior.

More information on minimizing opportunity in unexpected scenarios can be found in this blog post. Just as COVID-19 can be prevented by hand-washing and social-distancing, child sexual abuse can be prevented by taking a few simple, pre-emptive steps.

For more infomration on preventing child abuse when children are out of school, check out our partner Monique Burr Foundation’s post here.

Follow us on social media to stay up to date and join the conversation.

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82 responses to “Taking Protective Steps During the Coronavirus Pandemic”

  2. I think that making aware of these main principles is a great strategy in helping prevent sexual abuse.

  4. Informative course, reminds us as providers how to provide guidance to the families we work with, and assist parents with all aspects of keeping their children safe.

  5. I’m thankful for the training. I work in Early Intervention and serve children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My heart is aching for those little one’s who are at an increased risk for abuse during these uncertain and extreme circumstances. My goal is to help families navigate these times and to provide them with tools to prevent abuse.

  7. This was a great course to take. Some of the points I were using, but through this training I learned more.

  9. I’m a Court Appointed Special Advocate FOR CHILDREN, I see Sexual Abuse All The Time! Thanks so much for this training class. Especially with this Coronavirus killing people of all ages!! Abuse comes in many forms of lifestyle!!
    Shereé Mizzelle Parrish

  10. Lots of information to consider. This is very helpful! Working in the elementary school setting, I am concerned about all of the kids that are more at risk now than ever. I be passing this information on to as many as possible. Thank you!

  13. This was a great training in understanding the important of sexual/child abuse. Although, it directed us of being quarantined of the Coronavirus pandemic it was so clear that the pandemic of child abuse exist in our own homes. Thank you.

  15. The ability to share this information with our families is fantastic! Thank you Ashley Davis and everyone at Darkness to Light for the tremendously important work!

  17. There is so much information I had never thought of before and maybe it is because I am home with my grandchildren. This must be a daunting task for parents who must work. Some I will share with my family for their safety especially since they are on the internet a lot. Thank you

  18. Great presentation about the child abuse + COVI – 19. This is very important that # We” Understand” these situation in order to keep safe the child.

  19. This was very informative. I have seen abuse in the school district where I am employed. I believe that this information will be useful to others that have seen or will be subjected to any kind of abuse. Thank you.

  20. Great information.Praying for the safety of the citizens of the world. Thank you

  23. Great information, I talk to my kids all the time about this. you can’t trust everybody.

  24. Still having trouble with knowing how to ask if a child has already been touched. I wonder about the adult in Steward of Children training that said his mom told him to never let anyone touch him AFTER he had already been touched and then didn’t know how to tell her.

  25. Hi Karen! Thanks for your comment. I think it’s all in the way it’s communicated and the tone. Instead of saying you better not let anyone touch you – it’s more about empowering children so they know they can say no to adults and letting them know they can tell you if anyone does and that you will be there for them and help. You can find some resources and tips for this conversation on our resource page: https://www.d2l.org/resources/
    You may also be interested in additional training that dives deeper into specific topics mentioned in Stewards of Children – Healthy Touch for Children & Youth: https://www.d2l.org/education/additional-training/healthy-touch-children/
    Talking with Children about Safety from Sexual Abuse:https://www.d2l.org/education/additional-training/talking-with-children/

  26. This is some great information. It shows you how things can be looked at in different ways.Great ways to teach your children and yourself to keep communication open and free to talk with the ones who can protect you.

  27. Awesome information. It let us know that are different situations and they have to be looked different in order to get it handle and taken care of the best way and to prevent it from happening.

  30. Every day a school day. You can never stop learning. This is an excellent resource with some valuable tips and advice

  31. Good training. Thanks. I oftentimes keep my grandchildren and will use the “what ifs” game to see if they know what to do during crises.

  34. para mi es muy importante saber algo sobre abuso infantil es la primera vez que estoy este entrenamiento quiero ser proveedora de cuidado infantil.

  40. This training is very informative, I learn so much from this. I recommend this training to every household.

  43. Thank you for the information. It was very helpful to me because I work around young children at a school. Moms were at home when children came home from school or outing activities in times past and with appropriately probing questions they got a sense of what the child experienced that day. The moral compass that most families were guided by seems to have disappeared, so, it is very important for us to know how to identify abuse to our children while hey are in our care. Thank you again.

  51. This information was very much appreciated! It will help when those situations arrives! Thanks so much!

  53. I will be sharing what I learned with my daughter and encourage her to take the training along with her husband. They try to keep my grandson safe, but there are questions in the “What If” Game that I’m sure they’d want to use with him. Wonderful training!

  55. This course most definitely broadened my outlook on this topic. Great strategies to help minimize/recognize a problem going on within a child’s life regarding this topic in particular.

  56. The course was recommended to me and it is a great course. I have walked about with more knowledge of how to protect and keep my children safe.

  60. It important to have a plan. I also never thought about unexpected changes. This is necessary training for all families.

  72. Thanks for the opportunity for the Darkness to Light training. I have learned more strategies to share with my sons, nieces and nephews as they find their life partners and start a family.

  75. Great informative training. Thankful for these resources to help keep children safe!

  81. Great course. I like the “what if” game. I have a young child myself and it was very informative

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