Under a Watchful Eye: Child Abuse Prevention in Youth-Serving Organizations

Youth Serving Organizations can provide quality experiences for youth to grow and thrive under the care of staff and volunteers with the best interests of the youth. The sad reality is that any organization that provides access, time, and the ability to build relationships with youth are targeted by offenders as places to find possible targets. Most people are in youth work for the right reasons, but one person engaging in a group to look for targets can destroy the legacy of a program and even worse, have detrimental effects to the lives of youth involved. There is no room for denial or minimization when the health of children and youth are at stake. This presentation will provide resources to both adults working within youth serving organizations who are diligently trying to keep their programs safe and community members wanting to learn more about warning signs and prevention.