Parents

NOVA recognizes the importance of family involvement in teaching children personal safety skills that can help prevent child sexual abuse. This program teaches parents how to talk to their children in a comfortable and appropriate way about touching rules and offers the following to parents and caregivers:

• Information about sexual abuse.
• Guidelines for providing a safe and caring environment for children and youth.
• Practical examples showing how and when to talk to children about safety and touching.
• Guidelines for responding to a child who discloses abuse.

This program is a two-hour training designed to educate adults on how to recognize, prevent and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse, emphasizing child safety as every adult’s responsibility.

More Information

As a parent, caregiver or loved one, it is important to be prepared to have thoughtful and constructive dialogue with youth about healthy relationships, consent and sexual assault. This program gives parents and caregivers tools to speak openly with their children about rape and sexual abuse.

This program presents ways to nurture respectful, caring and courageous children. Victim empathy, bystander intervention, proactive strategies, sibling bullying and resources for support will be discussed.

This program provides insight on cyberbullying, social media platforms, “virtual friends,” parental supervision and how to support a child if a cyberbullying situation occurs.

Living in a technology-driven world can pose unique risks for children’s safety, personal development and well-being. In particular, there is evidence to suggest that it has increased the risks for sexual abuse and exploitation in both online and offline settings. The iSmart  program provides parents with information to build a foundation for an “iSmart” life. Parenting styles, responsible technology use, social media platforms and mobile devices will be discussed.