Staff Training to Help Protect Children from Predators

Members of The Guidance Center’s Early Childhood Department recently took part in a train-the-trainer session aimed at giving the staff the tools they need to teach parents how to talk with children about sexual predators. Norman E. Friedman, M. Ed, the retired executive director of Hawthorne Cedar Knolls and author of "Inoculating Your Children Against Sexual Abuse: What Every Parent Should Know,” conducted the session.

“The fight against child molesters begins by parents teaching their children,” says Mr. Friedman. Mr. Friedman’s training goes beyond traditional and presents the “No Touch Zone” as a new and different prevention tool. Mr. Friedman recommends that parents start teaching their children about body parts as young as 18 months old.

Donna Morrison, director of Early Childhood Programs at The Guidance Center said, “The train-the-trainer model allows all the information Norman shared with us to get out to the families of The Guidance Center. Because of this, we will help spread the word to hundreds of families.”

"As an educator, I am profoundly impressed with his knowledge and focus and would invite him to speak at every school in the country if I could," said Director of School Based Programs Amanda Santos-Olson. "As a parent, I am comforted and confident that I can give my children the tools they need to protect themselves against the evils of sexual predators-thanks to this training.'

Twenty-five members of The Guidance Center staff participated in the program. Mr. Friedman donated his time and training services.

Pictured here: Norman E. Friedman, author of "Inoculating Your Children Against Sexual Abuse: What Every Parent Should Know,” and Donna Morrison, of The Guidance Center.