Back to School with The Child Protection Center

August 19, 2024 | Sarasota

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) is dedicated to keeping kids safe through the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Serving over 50,000 children and adults each year, CPC’s Personal Safety and Community Awareness (PSCA) educators conduct free workshops for kids, professionals, parents, and members of the community.

“Each of our programs makes a significant difference daily, but in PSCA we have an opportunity to educate and equip children to preventabuse,” says Doug Staley, Executive Director of the Child Protection Center.

As the longest tenured child abuse prevention education program in the State of Florida, CPC’s prevention educators are regarded as experts in their area and train fellow Child Advocacy Center professionals around the state and southeast region of the U.S.

Most students in Sarasota County learn from new teachers every year, but CPC’s prevention educators are the familiar face year after year. Critical topics for children as young as preschool through high school as well as workshops for caregivers include internet safety, protecting one’s body and seeking help if needed, reporting abuse and neglect, bullying, and more. Following a personal safety presentation at a local elementary school, a participating teacher wrote that “the Personal Safety and Community Awareness Program and the Child Protection Center are gifts to our children. I give it the highest of accolades from the depths of my soul. Thank you for being part of the village.” To learn about the expansive available curriculum and schedule a prevention education workshop, please contact Michelle McSwain, Program Director, at MichelleB@CPCsarasota.org.