As we reflect on the impact of our programs in 2017, it’s an important time for us to gather new data about children and families in our communities. One of our favorite resources for statistics is Voices for Virginia’s Children, especially their links to the Kids Count Data Center, a project of the Annie E. Casey […]
August 25, 2017—This fall, SCAN of Northern Virginia is expanding its Operation Safe Babies program to include baby boxes and education through the Baby Box Co. and Baby Box University. Expecting parents will be able to go to www.babyboxuniversity.com and participate in an interactive educational training designed to make sure they know about safe sleep, […]
Last month, SCAN hosted an Allies in Prevention Coalition meeting to discuss the crisis—and our response as child welfare professionals—in Northern Virginia, where in 2016 we experienced 248 drug related deaths, 80% of which were opioid related . Professor Valerie Cuffee, LCSW, MSW, CPM from George Mason Univerisity (and a SCAN board member) led a […]
This Spring, SCAN hosted a series of free film screenings and panel discussions about the award-winning documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and The Science of Hope. Held with partners in Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, we engaged parents and professionals in discussions about what it means when a child is resilient, how trauma […]
How does it feel to be a kid in today’s world? How can we help children and teens manage new 21st-century realities — from the impact of online bullying to LGBTQ issues to the tragedy of rising suicide rates among youth? Earlier this month, we gathered in Arlington to discuss this new “Culture of Kids” with our Allies in […]
It’s a new school year and we’re excited to launch a new menu of workshops for the community! We encourage ALL groups of people to consider a workshop — from nonprofits, schools and government agencies to parenting groups, employers and faith groups. Our workshops are based on SCAN’s existing child abuse prevention and advocacy programs as well as the […]
We’re reading some great books this summer at SCAN! Here are some of our current picks: Our CASA volunteers just finished reading Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc as part of their quarterly book club for in-service hours. LeBlanc chronicles the lives of two teenage […]
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 […]
Being the wealthiest county in the United States might sound like a great thing, but for the vulnerable children and families living in Loudoun County, it simply isn’t. During 2016, SCAN will be helping agencies who serve children and families in Loudoun County to determine where gaps in services exist, explore what obstacles children and families […]
When you hear about child sexual abuse, many thoughts might go through your mind: “They should go to jail.” “Parents should keep a closer eye on their children.” “Who would do that to a child?” These statements distance us further from what has happened. These thoughts make it easier to dismiss the sexual abuse because […]
In the Greater Prince William County area, there is a unique organization called The Child Protection Partnership. It is a group of human service workers, non-profit organizations, county employees, early childhood educators, parks and recreation staff, school employees, and concerned citizens that meet monthly. SCAN is fortunate to be a part of it as well. At these monthly meetings, we […]
When SCAN moved its offices last month, one of the benefits was a new (larger) space for providing community trainings. As a staff, we started dreaming of the new ways this space could enlarge our circle of trained facilitators, volunteers and leaders. Every time we train an adult, our children gain a connection that could […]
This excellent post was shared most recently on the Darkness to Light blog (as well as Momastery’s Facebook page and originally appearing here), and it’s one that needs to be shared as many other places and with as many other people as possible: My beautiful cousin, who I’d not seen in 35 years, and I […]
SCAN’s Public Education team spent time this summer developing a new page on SCAN’s website specifically for the faith community. Why? Because they have an important connection to the children and parents in our communities–and they are often in unique positions to safely provide support, compassion and love. We hope to connect with as many faith groups of all kinds as possible in the coming […]
WORDS (noun) /wərd / ~ a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning After watching the Matthew Sandusky and Oprah Winfrey interview (you can watch some of it here, along with thoughts from the D2L blog), it is clear that one […]
The research on child abuse and neglect continues to develop every year. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) recently released an update to a 1993 report on the state of child welfare research. The new report, New Directions in Child Abuse and Neglect Research, focuses on child abuse and neglect as […]
On December 16, 2011, SCAN held its first Darkness to Light Stewards of Children Training. Since that time, we have had thirty-four trainings. On Saturday June 1, we held our largest training yet, training 63 members of the Open Door Presbyterian Church in Herndon. Statistics told church members that children within their own congregation were […]
We’re gearing up for a meeting with our local Stewards of Children authorized facilitators this September, and this blog post was going to be a quick, simple reminder that these professionals are available across Northern Virginia to give your community organizations powerful trainings in the prevention of child sexual abuse. But then our national partner in this […]
Today’s guest post is from SCAN’s Summer Intern Iliana Panameño, who recently graduated from Union College and hopes to empower the Latino community through advocacy work and policy analysis. Her work at SCAN this summer focuses on public education and advocacy issues. Our community has experienced two tragic deaths this month due to children being left […]
We simply can’t say enough about the incredible volunteers at SCAN. Every day, our amazing volunteers are in local courtrooms advocating for children, empowering parents at classes and support groups, and educating our community about why child abuse prevention is so important. They’re helping SCAN’s office run smoothly, attending board meetings, appearing on radio shows, managing our […]
This is the third post in a series of three from SCAN’s CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Program, written by Lindsay Warner Ferrer. Lindsay is a CASA Case Supervisor and was previously a trained volunteer with the program. One of the best ways to prevent abuse and neglect is through home visiting programs for new […]
Today’s guest blogger is Kim Fiske, a longtime supporter and current Board Member of SCAN. Kim’s perspective on SCAN’s change and growth over the years is valuable, but it’s her personal connections and networking that we find especially uplifting. She is an individual who has put her heart into her commitment to SCAN on many levels, […]
Today’s guest blog post comes from SCAN’s Council of Young Professionals, an energetic group of 20- and 30-something-year-old volunteers getting ready to make a big impact in April for National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Thanks to Meghan Tuttle and Angela Walter for contributing to this special post! April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and, it goes without saying, […]
What do a local judge, a foster parent and an emergency room doctor have in common? How about a social worker and a Parks & Recreation employee? Or an attorney and a probation officer? Every one of these individuals has received an Allies in Prevention Award from SCAN and its Allies in Prevention Coalition. Over the […]
The theme of SCAN’s year-end report this year touches on the essence of our work… Believing in children as the hope for tomorrow; Believing in the family as an essential fiber in the fabric of our community; Believing that we each have a role and responsibility in supporting parents around us in order to ensure […]