At the Y, we believe ALL children deserve the opportunity to discover who they are, and what they can achieve.
For Happy, Healthy & Safe Kids
The YMCA partners with numerous organizations to bring child abuse awareness and prevention to our communities. At the Westport Weston Family YMCA, we stand committed to providing a safe environment for everyone who enters our doors or participates in our programs, most importantly the safety and well-being of children entrusted to our care. Every day, we are proud and respectful of the trust parents and communities around the country place in the Y. From youth sports to summer camp; from out-of-school time to swim team; our Ys have a series of measures in place to keep kids safe and ensure your children have a safe, fun filled experience. Through training sessions, community resources, and workshops, the Y educates adults on how to recognize, prevent, and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse, emphasizing child safety and prevention is every adult’s responsibility. Our work is guided by the vision of a world free from child sexual abuse, where children can grow up happy, healthy, and safe.
Learn more on how the Y keeps our children in the Westport, Weston and greater Fairfield County area safeguarded against abuse through staff training, policies, protocols, and ongoing knowledge of awareness and prevention here.
Five Days of Action
At the Y, child protection is our number one priority year-round. During April–Child Abuse Prevention Month–we participate in a week-long campaign called Five Days of Action from April 15-19, 2024, to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip our communities to prevent it. By taking part in this important campaign and through implementing abuse prevention practices year-round, we can all commit to the safety of all children in our care.
Five Days of Action is an initiative of the YMCA Champions for Child Protection, with support from YMCA of the USA.
KNOW. SEE. RESPOND.
During these Five Days of Action, we introduce the foundational habits of child sexual abuse prevention—Know. See. Respond. When put into practice, they help us create safer environments for children to grow and learn.
Know: Knowing about child sexual abuse can help us better understand what to look for and how to keep it from happening in the first place. For example, did you know that 1 in 10 children in the U.S will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday?
See: When we know the signs of abuse, we can intervene on behalf of children.
Respond: If you suspect abuse, are you ready to respond? Do you know when and how to report suspected child abuse?
KNOW
KNOWing the facts about child sexual abuse can help adults better understand what to look for and how to prevent it. As parents, caregivers, and trusted adults to the young people in our lives, we play an important role in protecting them from abuse. Learn more about the different types of abuse, the signs and how you can help at childhelphotline.org
SEE
Media and technology are at the center of children’s lives every day. With more of life happening online, what catches their attention isn’t always what’s best for them. As a parent or caregiver, you may SEE your child interacting with media daily, and you can be equipped with the tools and resources to make sure any environment (including online) is free from any abuse. Learn more at commonsensemedia.org/articles/online-safety.
RESPOND
How can you RESPOND to the call to help prevent child sexual abuse? As a parent or caregiver, you may know it’s important to talk about it, but you may not know what or when to say it. The Committee for Children has created the Hot Chocolate Talk campaign, packing decades of research into easy-to-use guides to help you begin these crucial conversations at any age, from toddler to teen.
Visit cfchildren.org/resources/child-abuse-prevention/ to learn more and empower your child to report and refuse sexual abuse.
View the resources provided by Childhelp, Common Sense Media, and Committee for Children to help support this initiative.
Other Resources
When we all take action, abuse is preventable. We take our commitment to child protection seriously and we hope you do too. With your help, we strive to decrease these statistics and create a safer community and future for all, especially our children. If you have children, work with children or care about children, we encourage you to view these helpful resources from other organizations who share the Y’s commitment to the safety of children!
Educational Videos and Information for Parents & Caregivers by Praesidium
These videos review how abuse occurs, warning signs to be aware of, and how to respond.
- Abuse Prevention Introduction
- Recognize Abuse and it’s Warning Signs
- How to Talk to Youth About Abuse
- How to Respond to Child Abuse
- 6 Key Questions a Parent Should Ask of a Camp
At Praesidium, their mission is to prevent the sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults and to preserve trust in respected organizations. For more than 30 years, Praesidium’s experts have worked to prevent sexual abuse. For more information, visit www.praesidiuminc.com.
Respond & Teach with the “Hot Chocolate Talk” by Committee for Children
How to Talk with Kids About Personal Safety and Sexual Abuse – A Conversation Guide for Parents and Caregivers
- Talk openly and often with your child, from an early age, about personal safety
- Child sexual abuse is scary, but talking about ways to prevent it doesn’t have to be
- Establish simple, personal safety tips with your children that are easy to understand and remember
- Know the facts about and signs of abuse—and what to do and say if it happens
- Ask open-ended questions, practice active listening, and believe your child
- Normalize conversations about personal safety and sexual abuse prevention
For more information and resources from Committee for Children, visit www.cfchildren.org.
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Online Training by Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light is a nonprofit organization with the mission to empower adults to prevent child sexual abuse through awareness, education, and stigma reduction. Darkness to Light’s flagship program, Stewards of Children®, is an evidence-informed, award-winning training that teaches adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. More than 1.9 million adults have been trained using Darkness to Light trainings. For more information, visit www.D2L.org and for access to online training materials.