Family Ministries

 

Stewards of Children

How do we spot a child who's being sexually abused?

What do we do when our suspicions about a child being abused prove to be a reality?

While we prepare our churches to be a "safe sanctuary", some times home is not a safe sanctuary for a child, especially one who is sexually abused.        It's hard to know what to do when we suspect a child is being abused.  Often we are afraid and hesitant to act, but what can we do about it? 

All adults serving children or youth in our church are invited to help protect the children entrusted to them by attending "Stewards of Children" - a half day workshop to educate adults how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse and to courageously take action.  The Stewards of Children program is designed for organizations that serve children and youth, and any/all adults interested in protecting children.  The workshop will be facilitated by Jane Donovan who has a long tenure as an educator and child advocate committed to making a difference in the fight against child abuse.      

Seminar Dates:

September 21, 2009

April 8, 2010                

Location:  North TX Conference Ministry Center

                      500 Maplelawn Drive

                      Plano, TX  75075

Time:  9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cost:  $10 at the door; includes workbook & light breakfast

Register:  http://stewardsntcumc.eventbrite.com

Who should attend?   

• Directors of Children's / Youth Ministries
• Children's/Youth volunteers
• Preschool directors and teachers
• Clergy
• Church staff
• Any adult interested in protecting children 

The Stewards of Children workshop is a great program for church leaders seeking education/training for staff and volunteers in the prevention of child sexual abuse. The program also helps leaders who are needing to respond to insurance requirements regarding child protection and also includes tools for organizations that facilitate the development of policies and procedures for sexual abuse prevention.

However, the most compelling reasons for church leaders to attend the 1/2 day workshop are the statistics on child sexual abuse alone.   

• 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet.
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.
• An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today. 

After attending the Stewards of Children workshop, you will:  

 -- understand that adults are responsible for the protection of children   

-- understand the importance of screening staff/volunteers who work with children and adolescents    

-- have resources to react responsibly to incidents of child sexual abuse   

 -- understand the importance of a well conceived one-adult/one-child policy

About the Facilitator: 

Jane Donovan is a long-time child advocate committed to making a difference in the fight against child abuse.  Jane previously worked for the Collin County Children's Advocacy Center as their Community Educator and for Plano Independent School District as a Child Abuse Prevention Specialist. In collaboration with Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center, Jane created a puppet program, The Kids Count Players! which combines puppets and music to impart a message about staying safe from abuse for kindergarten, first and second grade students and has been performed for over 3,000 children. She also works with Collin County school districts to deliver anti-victimization programs including child abuse prevention, internet safety, teen dating violence and bully prevention. 

About Stewards of Children and Darkness to Light: 

Stewards of Children is one of several prevention programs offered by Darkness to Light, a non-profit organization, that strives to alleviate child sexual abuse through education, awareness and community action. One of the ways that Darkness to Light strives to accomplish this is through identifying and training facilitators to deliver programs such as Stewards of Children to parents, educators and volunteers in the community. 

 

For questions/comments/suggestions regarding equipping our North TX Annual Conference churches to better serve all families, please contact:

Rev. Wendy Curran

wcurran@hcumc.org

972-492-2432