NEWS

Training will help adults help children

Mike Emery
mwemery@pal-item.com
  • JACY House will train adults to help prevent child sexual abuse.
  • The free Darkness to Light Stewards of Children program is 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 17.
  • JACY House offers a non-threatening environment for investigative interviews of abused children.

JACY House is training adults next week in the prevention of child sexual abuse.

The Darkness to Light Stewards of Children session is from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 17 at Grassroots Action Resource Center, 819 E. Main St. in Richmond. The training is free thanks to an Enhancing the Spirit of the Community grant from the Wayne County Foundation.

Registration is requested by 4 p.m. Monday online at www.jacyhouse.org or by calling (765) 962-9043.

Amanda Wilson, executive director of JACY House, said the training is geared toward adults who deal with children: Including parents, day care workers, teachers, principals or church workers. Its purpose is to teach the adults what to do if sexual abuse is suspected, how to get involved in helping a child, signs of sexual abuse and how to communicate with children to help keep them safe.

JACY House also teaches a Speak Up Be Safe program in area elementary schools.

“We tell the children it’s the adults’ job to keep them safe,” Wilson said. “This is the adult piece about what to do when children come to them.”

It also trains adults to have conversations with children, so they know what is and isn’t appropriate, and how to get help if needed.

“We don’t shy away from teaching fire safety, seat-belt safety or bicycle safety, and we shouldn’t shy away from teaching adults and children about protecting their bodies,” Wilson said.

Wilson said more training sessions, including day and evening programs, will be scheduled in coming months and posted at www.jacyhouse.org.

JACY (Justice and Advocacy Center for Youth) House is a program of the Children’s Justice and Advocacy Center. It was created to provide a non-threatening environment to conduct investigative interviews with abused children, trying to reduce trauma to the child and improve evidence collected. It serves Wayne, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Rush and Union counties.

Staff writer Mike Emery: (765) 973-4466 or mwemery@pal-item.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PI_Emery.

If You Go

What: Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training for prevention of child sexual abuse.

When: 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 17

Where: Grassroots Action Resource Center, 819 E. Main St., Richmond

Registration:www.jacyhouse.org or (765) 962-9043

Information: Amanda Wilson at (765) 962-9043 or jacyhouse@comcast.net; www.jacyhouse.org