Description

Talking to children about touching and personal safety can be difficult for teachers and parents. Talking About Touching creates a comfortable context for discussing this sensitive topic. The research-based program teaches children basic skills to help keep them safe from dangerous or abusive situations. Instructor-friendly materials place personal safety in context with traffic, fire, and environmental safety. Touching is discussed in terms of safety, rather than sexuality. The curricula includes fifteen, 30-minute lessons, and is age-appropriate for preschool/kindergarten and grades one through four.

The Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund is the lead coordinator and training agency bringing Talking About Touching to Massachusetts under an agreement with the Committee for Children, which developed the curricula. The program is taught in thousands of schools throughout North America.

Training

The Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund offers five options:

• Information Session: A brief introduction to Talking About Touching for groups or individuals considering bringing the curriculum to their classrooms.
• Parent Information Nights: Participants will learn how they can take an active role in protecting their children from sexual abuse. Topics covered in the two hour session include how to establish a safe environment, how to teach and discuss personal safety and how to respond to a disclosure of abuse.
• Staff Training: Participants receive a day of hands-on experience and practice with the curricula, learn to effectively teach skills and handle students’ questions about sexual abuse, learn to facilitate an effective parent education meeting, understand the responsibility of mandated reporting, and discuss program implementation strategies with colleagues.
• Training for Trainers: Over a three-day period participants are trained to conduct staff trainings in the use of Talking About Touching at their community agencies. This provides the advantage of local expertise. Participants receive a Trainer’s Manual and a set of staff training videos.
• On-site Training: Professional trainers travel to communities to train up to 40 participants. On-site Training is conducted exclusively for schools or agencies, providing the opportunity to address local issues and network with colleagues.

Training application and material order form

Click here to view a printable training application and material order form

For More Information:

Contact Marybeth Dwyer at Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund for more information about the Talking About Touching program. Phone: (888) 775-4KID (toll free in Massachusetts) or (617) 727-8957 ext. 8754. E-mail: mdwyer@mctf.state.ma.us

A formatted version of the Talking About Touching fact sheet is available for download in Adobe Acrobat. To download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat, click here.