Engaging with Educators: A Guide for Authorized Facilitators

As educators and school personnel head back into their school buildings, they will begin to meet and consider ways to welcome students, create safe spaces, engage in learning, and meet a multitude of learning objectives and course content throughout the school year. 

As Authorized Facilitators of Stewards of Children®, it is important to think about how you can engage with your local schools (childcare, preschool, K-12, charter and private schools, etc.) to ensure that child sexual abuse prevention is a part of their ongoing professional development. When children feel safe and supported, then they are more likely to engage in learning. 

Here are some ideas to consider as you put together a training plan for engaging with the educational settings in your local area. 

1. Identify the decision-makers within the school setting. If you are having a difficult time reaching them, consider shifting your approach (or doubling your efforts) by also reaching out to the school’s parent/teacher association. 
2. Begin to ask questions about their awareness level of mandated reporter laws, Erin’s Law, or the written policies and codes of conduct they have in place regarding protecting children from child sexual abuse. If there is a gap here, offer your assistance in furthering their knowledge or reviewing the policies and codes they have in place. 
3. Ask what training is offered to staff around child abuse prevention, mandated reporter, trauma-informed care, and if any training is given to children. Use your knowledge as an Authorized Facilitator to help them identify where Stewards of Children would fill in a gap. 
4. Provide statistics. Share key statistics around peer-on-peer abuse rates, reporting, and prevalence rates of child sexual abuse.  
5. Know that one conversation is likely not going to be enough. It will take some time to find funding and room on the calendar to fit Stewards of Children into a professional development schedule. Be patient and look for our full Educator Toolkit, which will be released later this fall with even more advice and tips. 

By encouraging schools and their leadership teams to take the extra step and get trained in Stewards of Children®, you are significantly improving the safety of the children. You are providing a more impactful message and a call to action in the face of child sexual abuse.