Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina (PCANC) announces a new online course recognizing and responding to suspicions of child abuse and neglect training course.
The interactive course is designed to provide professionals and volunteers working with children and families the knowledge they need to effectively respond to suspicions of child abuse and neglect. It is available free of charge to all North Carolina residents through the organization’s website, www.preventchildabusenc.org/rrcourse and can be completed at the user’s own pace.
“Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina is committed to helping professionals and concerned citizens across North Carolina more effectively prevent child abuse and neglect,” said Rosemarie Allen Ryan, PCANC president and CEO. “Adverse experiences such as child abuse and neglect have negative, long-term health, social and economic impacts on individuals and communities. This course provides critical information to ensure all children have the safe, stable, nurturing environments they need to thrive and become productive, responsible adults.”
Topics covered in the course include the legal definitions of abuse, neglect and dependency; signs and symptoms of child maltreatment; North Carolina’s mandatory reporting laws; what to do when suspecting abuse or neglect; and where to find additional information and resources. In addition, the course addresses barriers to reporting people frequently face and provides strategies for overcoming them. The course takes approximately 2 hours to complete and includes pre and post assessments of the user’s knowledge.
The course was made possible by support from the N.C. Division of Social Services. “It is our responsibility as adults to ensure all children’s healthy growth and development,” said Kevin Kelley, section chief for Child Welfare Services. “When we invest in strategies that provide adults with the knowledge they need to effectively promote children’s healthy development, we invest in the future success of our communities and our state.”