Creating a Policy Brief to Advocate for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Awareness

The intent of this thesis is to examine barriers that exist regarding dialogue around child sexual abuse (CSA) and CSA prevention education (CSAPE) in early childhood settings. The end product of my research, a policy brief specific to Utah early childhood settings, focused on the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of child care providers in licensed child care settings in the Salt Lake City region of Utah. My data collection supports the assertion that many child care providers lack the knowledge and confidence necessary to adopt policies and procedures that enhance protective measures for children and that the many child care providers are not comfortable discussing CSA with parents and/or staff. Through my analysis of best practices for CSAPE programs for child care providers, parents, and the community I ascertained that collaborative efforts of parents and educators result in the most effective protective strategies. The advantages of educating parents and child care providers about developmental norms of children and healthy sexuality is one prevention strategy considered to be best practice in preventing CSA. My collaborative work with the state Child Care Licensing Bureau Advisory Committee regarding the implementation of mandated CSA training for licensed child care providers is indicative that child care providers can work collaboratively with policy makers within the community to improve the safety of children. By raising awareness, initiating dialogue and providing training for caregivers the safety of children in early childhood settings can be improved