Join Five Days of Action® to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, April 21-25
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. As part of our commitment to protecting the children in our community, we’re participating in the Five Days of Action® - a week-long campaign to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip us all to prevent it. By taking part in this important campaign and implementing abuse prevention practices year-round, the YMCA of Greenwich is committing to the safety of all children in our community.
PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AT THE YMCA OF GREENWICH
At the YMCA of Greenwich, it is our mission to nurture the potential of every child and teen. From Summer Camp and After School programs to Youth Sports and Teen activities, our Ys are bustling with programs designed to provide safe, fun-filled experiences.
Child protection is our top priority, and we’re committed to educating both adults and children on how to stay safe from abuse. Our staff and volunteers receive comprehensive training in child safety to ensure your children are always protected while in our care. Additionally, all members and guests who visit our facility are required to be entered into our sex offender database, Raptor.
KNOW. SEE. RESPOND.
KNOW. SEE. RESPOND. enables us to understand how and when abuse happens, recognize the signs of abuse, and quickly and appropriately respond to it. When we embrace these habits, we foster a culture of child abuse prevention. Click the button below to learn more about how to recognize and respond to signs of child abuse.
KNOW
When evaluating camps, sports, and other activities for your child, do you KNOW what questions to ask about abuse prevention? As parents, caregivers, and trusted adults, we play a vital role in protecting children and teens from abuse. Learn the key questions to ask from Praesidium, the YMCA's partner in child abuse prevention: praesidiuminc.com/6-key-questions-a-parent-should-ask-of-an-organization.
SEE
When we SEE grooming patterns—methodical, subtle, gradual, and escalating behaviors used to groom a child for sexual abuse—we can identify them, strengthen our intuition, and protect children. Learn the 6 grooming behaviors every parent or caregiver needs to know and what to do if you see them, from our partner, Saprea: saprea.org/blog/6-perpetrator-grooming-behaviors.
RESPOND
RESPONDing starts when a child or teen feels heard and is helped. How can you take action to prevent child sexual abuse? The Trusted Triangle (for younger children) and the Safety NETwork (for older youth) are strategies from Lauren’s Kids Safer, Smarter Families Family Safety Toolkit. These resources are designed to help families and caregivers teach personal and digital safety in a comfortable and accessible way.
- Grades K-2: safersmarterfamilies.org/grades-k-2
- Grades 3-5: safersmarterfamilies.org/grades-3-5
We take our commitment to child protection seriously and we hope you do too.
SHARE CHILD SAFETY CONCERNS
Reporting signs of child sexual abuse or your child safety concerns is key in preventing and intervening in abuse. You do not need proof that abuse if occurring to make a report, only reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that you have witnessed maltreatment or boundary violations, either in the child or adult, or both. Or, you have received a disclosure from a child about abuse, neglect, or boundary violations towards them.
To report child abuse or child safety concerns, complete our Child Safety Concern Form below. You can respond anonymously or with your contact information.