Course Overview
- Keeping Faith Basic Course
This 2-day course empowers faith communities to recognize and respond to cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Included are discussions detailing the impact of child abuse on a victim’s sense of spirituality, as well as concrete suggestions for working with medical and mental health professionals to assist a child in coping with maltreatment. The course also discusses ideal child protection policies for a faith-based institution, including handling a situation in which a convicted sex offender seeks to join a congregation. A review of various child abuse case scenarios and a discussion on appropriate and inappropriate responses allows for real-life problem-solving and feedback. - Keeping Faith: Advanced Workshop
This 1-day course is designed for faith and child protection leaders who have completed Zero Abuse Project’s 2-Day Keeping Faith course. Attendees receive instruction on preventing abuse in vulnerable populations including children with disabilities and sexual and gender minority youth. There is also an in-depth workshop on the sexual behaviors of youth, and a detailed exploration of the cognitive distortions of adult sex offenders. This workshop also includes discussion and interaction with case scenarios to assist the attendees in applying the information received to their respective professions.
Learn More about Keeping Faith:
Check out our partner events co-sponsored by Zero Abuse Project!
No Hit Zones are quickly emerging as an effective, low-cost, and easy to implement strategy for the prevention of child abuse. Click here for more information.
Clergy, chaplains, youth ministers, faith leaders, counselors and other members of a faith community who may work with children or families impacted by child abuse.
Why is this training so important to every faith community?
Percentage of sex offenders who describe themselves as being "religious."
Percentage of 2,864 church leaders who knew of at least one convicted sex offender who was attending or was a member of their church (Christianity Today 2010).
"I was amazed at what it was to experience a truly trauma-informed, scripturally-grounded, and theologically-relevant treatment of this topic. For two days, we learned about the important role the church can play in preventing the abuse of all children, AND how we can support our members who have survived abuse and exploitation."
"I enjoyed learning how the MDT can facilitate working relationships with caregivers in terms of respecting their faith, and using the positive and resilient factors of their faith to empower them to be the best caregivers they can."
"THANK YOU for your incredible work with the JWRC and the Keeping Faith training! This was an engaging, informative, inspiring, encouraging two days/sixteen hours! I never expected to be able to pay attention for so long, but you all made it easy to stay focused and engaged. I have so much gratitude and hope to live out the spirit and wisdom of this training throughout my ministry! I feel so fired up and energized about keeping our kids safe and am so, SO glad to have had the chance to be in this training."
