Darkness To Light Announces April Release Of The New Stewards Of Children® Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training
CHARLESTON, SC – Darkness to Light, a national not-for-profit leader in the prevention of child sexual abuse, announced today the April release of the much-anticipated update to the award-winning Stewards of Children®. Described as a “NEW Training for a NEW Generation”, the NEW Stewards of Children® promises to deliver the same proven framework that helps equip adults to keep kids safe from sexual abuse, with significant enhancements to the learning experience.
Stewards of Children® is a trauma and evidence informed training that utilizes Darkness to Light’s Theory of Change (The Prevention Paradigm for Child Sexual Abuse) to teach adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to abuse. Through the lived experience of survivors and testimony of experts, Stewards of Children® teaches adults practical actions they can take to reduce the sexual abuse of children in their organizations, families, and communities. With this curriculum Darkness to Light has trained over two million adults worldwide.
Darkness to Light uses a social and behavior change approach that goes beyond increasing adults’ awareness and risks associated with child sexual abuse. The Theory of Change relies on engaging adults at different societal levels to address the range of individual and social factors influencing their willingness and ability to take action in prevention. Through this unique method, Darkness to Light successfully addresses systemic conditions to establish a culture of child protection that creates prevention-oriented communities throughout the United States and abroad.
Beginning in April 2023, the NEW Stewards of Children® will be released with updates to the training and trainee experience that builds upon Darkness to Light’s Theory of Change, includes the latest statistics, increased accessibility and diversity through expert testimonies and lived experience, has more trauma-informed best practices and several modifications to the trainee experience and user journey.
Darkness to Light President & CEO, Katelyn Brewer says, “This is a historic moment for both our organization and the future generations of children kept safe through our collaborative work in prevention. We are changing mindsets, we are changing behaviors, and we are changing lives! We are incredibly proud of all that Stewards of Children® has achieved to-date and look forward to witnessing the renewed impact of the NEW Stewards of Children® on the communities we serve today and always.”
Darkness to Light Certified Instructors and Authorized Facilitators who deliver this training to their communities, are equally excited about the enriched curriculum…
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Darkness to Light and Stewards of Children® through all its iterations, and I can truly say that I am thrilled that the NEW Stewards of Children® is finally arriving! This training offers us a new and powerful tool that better equips us to create communities dedicated to lasting child protection.” – Carol Hogue, Darkness to Light Lead Instructor
The NEW Stewards of Children® will be fully released in stages, beginning with the Facilitator-led training this spring, followed by the winter release of the asynchronous online training. The current edition of Stewards of Children® will officially retire on December 31, 2023.
For more information on the NEW Stewards of Children®, including how to become authorized or re-authorized to deliver Darkness to Light’s prevention programming, please visit www.thenewstewards.org.
