Three Degrees of Stewardship: Preventing and Eradicating Child Sexual Abuse

Grant Application

John Bout, Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence County, a member of UPMC Jameson

Proposed Innovation

According to national statistics, child sexual abuse is a serious problem impacting one in 10 children by the age of 18. Of those children who are sexually abused, 20 percent are abused before age 8.

This project aims to establish a community-based, adult-focused training program designed to prevent and ultimately help eradicate child sexual abuse in Lawrence County

Improvements in Action

Through this project, the Children’s Advocacy Center will work with other community groups to launch Stewards of Children — a special training program designed to empower adults to stop child sexual abuse. The goal is to train a facilitator and staff to conduct regular training sessions for professionals who work with children, helping them learn how to prevent, recognize, and react to child sexual abuse.

Outcomes

The project team plans to provide training to 730 adults over a 12-month period so they are better prepared to recognize warning signs and react responsibly. The long-term goal is to train 23,000 adults over the next 20 years — resulting in the creation of a “sphere of influence” that will help eradicate child sexual abuse in Lawrence County.