It’s back to school season for many in our community — what better time to pick up a new book and encourage your own reading habit? We’re sharing a few of our staff favorites this fall, and we hope you’ll share the books on your list this season, too! A few years ago, SCAN’s CASA volunteers […]
SCAN’s Alexandria/Arlington CASA Program is a key component of our child advocacy work, and people often ask us about the program’s unique format and impact. Today our CASA Program Director LaTeeka Turner is sharing some of the most common questions we get from child welfare professionals and child advocates about this important, effective program: Q: Who are CASA volunteers (also known as “CASAs”)? […]
Back-to-school season can be a time of changes and challenges for families with school-aged children. Sharing information and tools like these can be a great way to connect with parents when they need it most: Advocating for Your Child in School: Help parents connect with teachers and school staff in constructive ways at the beginning […]
Twenty-seven. 27 children in the U.S. have died from being left in a car this year alone. There is record heat in many parts of the country with more than one month of summer ahead of us, and the arrival of fall does not automatically mean cooler temperatures. As service providers and those who advocate for children […]
Twice a year, SCAN publishes the Parent Connection Resource Guide (PCRG), a catalog of parenting resources available in the Northern Virginia area. SCAN has just published its newest guide covering August through December of 2016. Our goal in preparing and distributing the PCRG to child welfare professionals is to spread the word about the plethora […]
Darkness to Light has aspired to reach a tipping point with adults in their home state of South Carolina to make sure that they are “actively preventing child sexual abuse by training 5% of the adult population to prevent, recognize and react to child sexual abuse!” This idea comes from The Tipping Point, a book […]
We were thrilled to hear about Lainie Morgan’s experiences during her first volunteer experience with SCAN. Enjoy her story — we hope it inspires you to volunteer, too! As someone who used to teach children and families in Baltimore but now supports educators from a national office and misses being in the classroom, I sought […]
April 21, 2014 Earlier this month, we had the privilege of honoring six remarkable people. The 2014 Allies in Prevention Award winners are a diverse group — immigrants, scholars, police officers, social workers. They have stories that defy odds and stories that inspire action. And they are changing the lives of children and families in our […]
April 7, 2014 We are continually impressed and inspired by the young volunteers involved with SCAN. There’s something special about teenagers making the time commitment to be a connection for kids in their own community, and for setting an example that many adults would be smart to follow. This month – as we launch our […]
Jenna-Lyn Ryckebusch, a Senior Programs Coordinator at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, recently joined the Darkness to Light Facilitators at their quarterly meeting to discuss sexting and online solicitation. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children categorizes sexting as the sending or posting of nude or partially nude images. With the […]
Ever want to learn more about the people who support SCAN? Ever wonder WHY they support SCAN? Today we talk with Paola McDonald, a local entrepreneur (and mom), about her personal and professional support of SCAN’s programs in Northern Virginia. SCAN: How did you first learn about SCAN? What was your initial involvement? Paola: I […]
We’re currently in the middle of our spring ABCs of Parenting Class (in English), with 22 parents and their children joining us for a special 8-week series designed to change the way they nurture and raise their kids. What better moment than this to share recent thoughts from our current Parent Education Manager, Andres Marquez-Lara, […]
It’s not easy to talk about child abuse and neglect. But it’s not something we can ignore. And we can’t keep thinking it doesn’t happen “in my community.” Child abuse cuts across all boundaries of economic level, race, ethnic heritage and religious faith. Unfortunately, child abuse occurs in all segments of our society, but
365 days a year, thousands of people across Northern Virginia are working to protect children, support parents and strengthen families. From social workers to teachers to child advocates to coaches to faith leaders, these people are our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends. They’re also HEROES. They’re connecting with the children in our community every day, […]
As 2013 — our 25th anniversary year — drew to a close, we were already looking ahead to all we could accomplish in 2014. We set a goal to raise $26,000 through holiday giving that would help us kick off “YEAR26” with a bang. And friends like you once again amazed and inspired us with […]
December 29, 2013 Well, the holiday cards have arrived in our mailboxes and our hearts are warmed by messages and photos from family and friends. Take a look at the wonderful pictures of children and families in SCAN’s Annual Report. It brings alive SCAN’s work with children and families through their CASA, Parenting Education and […]
December 17, 2013 For many people the holiday season is the most wonderful time of year. For others it the most stressful time of year and can lead to arguments, depression, substance abuse and violence. “All families deal with stress at one time or another, but the pressure of the holidays can make it even […]
December 13, 2013 We recently hosted our 2nd Annual Advocacy Training through our partnership with Prevent Child Abuse Virginia. Speakers included local legislators as well as experts from Voices for Virginia’s Children, Zero to Three and The Commonwealth Institute. Dozens of attendees received a valuable day of strategy and updates on policy, legislation and advocacy tips. […]
December 6, 2013 Can a traumatic childhood experience cause adult health problems? A landmark study shows that exposure to an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) like abuse and neglect can actually increase the odds of later developing serious adult health issues like cancer, liver disease and heart disease. It can also make people more prone to […]
[This post was originally published by SCAN in November 2012, and we had so many readers like it that we wanted to share again on the new site as we head into the week of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!] As many of the families in our community get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday next week (not to mention the rush into gift-giving […]
SCAN’s 250+ volunteers are absolutely critical to the work we do. Volunteers multiply the impact of our small staff and extend our reach throughout the area. We want volunteers’ experiences working with SCAN to be rewarding and beneficial for everyone involved. As a result, we are continuously evaluating our volunteer application and screening process. August […]
We can’t imagine a more remarkable evening to celebrate SCAN’s 25th Anniversary and witness a community make a renewed commitment to changing the lives of children and parents for years to come. SCAN’s Toast to Hope on November 2nd was record-breaking on so many fronts: 300+ guests in attendance 100+ volunteers, sponsors and donors giving […]
In just 3 days, we’ll welcome hundreds of friends to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for our 11th annual Toast to Hope. Still haven’t bought your tickets for this fun event, complete with wine & beer tastings, gourmet food and silent auction? We’re already expecting to break attendance records – but you can still join […]
It’s a busy time at SCAN – there’s a new CASA Volunteer Training going on, our Parenting Classes are in full swing, and in two weeks we’ll be celebrating our 25th anniversary at Toast to Hope! But before that happens, we’ll also have a chance to relax and enjoy a Happy Hour with our fabulous Council […]
Today’s guest blogger is Gail Ledford, a longtime supporter of SCAN (in countless roles) and a member of our 25th Anniversary Planning Committee. She’s extending a special invitation to this year’s Toast to Hope in today’s post… Wow, SCAN is celebrating its 25th anniversary! It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since SCAN first opened its […]