Over The Rainbow Children's Advocacy Center

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors LCSi, Chambers' Apothecary, Newcomers Truck Parts, and Abraxas for partnering with us in support of children in our community!

Thank you to the Counselors at the Waynesboro Area School District for committing their time to learn to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse by completing the Darkness to Light- Stewards of Children Training. Thank you for continuing to create safe environments for the young children in our community. For more information on the Darkness to Light- Stewards of Children training, please contact Jessica Crouse at 717-504-8491 or [email protected].

The struggle for racial justice and the fight against child abuse share an enemy: the abuse of power by individuals or by systems of authority. That enemy is st...rengthened by the silence of those who call themselves a friend but who fail to stand up for and to speak out on behalf of victims. Children's Advocacy Centers are committed to being a true friendan advocatefor all vulnerable children. On #MLKDay as we honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. may we continue to work to ensure that all children who have suffered abuse receive the same quality of intervention and response, no matter their race, class, or creed. #ChildAdvocacyPA #KeystoneCACs See more

Check out our January Blast featuring information on our Community Prevention Program and highlights about Human Trafficking Awareness Month. #monthlyblast #keepingkidssafe

Try to add some of these self-care habits into your week!

You can sign up for the Free Virtual Family Center by clicking on the blue sign up button on First Start Partnerships for Children and Families page!

Do you know what a safe adult is? Do your kids? Safe adults are the ones kids know they can trust if they need help. But, it’s more than that. Safe adult status matters more than just when it’s crunch-time. We know life can be stressful, and it is easy for kids and parents to get overwhelmed. This is why it’s important to have an open line of communication with your kids at all times, so no matter what is going on in your life, they know they can communicate their feelings... with you. By being a safe adult in good times, you’ll automatically be a safe adult for them to turn to when things aren’t going right. Do you know how to recognize the behaviors of safe adults? Download these two worksheets created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children one is for adults and one is for kids. ( For Adults: https://www.missingkids.org//tip/being-a-trusted-adult.pdf) (For Kids: https://www.missingkids.org//ti/who-is-a-trusted-adult.pdf) See more

Reminder: CASD will host a Farmers to Families Food Box program at the CASHS student parking lot today from 1-2PM. Families will receive a free box of meat, dairy, produce, and a gallon of milk from the USDA while supplies last. Learn more: http://ow.ly/ngxu50C0KVm

To kick off the weekend, we want to give a special #LEAD shout-out to our law enforcement partners who help #KeepKidsSafe. To the officers and detectives who work alongside Children's Advocacy Centers to stop abuse, thank you! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay #KeystoneCACs #ChildAdvocacyPA

There is a lot going on these days and you may feel like you don’t have everything figured out. It’s ok - take it one day at a time. Are your kids spending more time online or in front of a screen? How can you ensure they are staying safe when they’re in virtual environments? It’s important to set some ground rules and be proactive, just like you would if your children were going to a friend’s house. Here are some ideas to get you started - If possible, connect with your k...ids before, during, and after online use know who they will be with virtually, where they are going virtually, and what they will be doing. - Discuss how any new scenarios, like virtual school, will affect your current rules around devices, apps, and the internet. - Click here for more internet safety tips. (link: https://www.fivedaysofaction.org/internet-safety) Feel free to share this with your network and brainstorm some ground rules that apply to your family or situation. Find prevention tips and resources by checking out www.fivedaysofaction.org. See more

Join us THIS WEEK for Five Days of Action! This week-long campaign is designed to raise awareness and inspire all adults to take action to protect children from sexual abuse. We know the world looks a little different right now. Our communities are continuing to press pause and social distance, schools may be virtual, you may be working from home, and your childcare options may have changed. We know that when our routines change, we may need to adapt our child protection st...rategies. Five Days of Action will help communities and parents/caregivers take it One Day at a Time. We will be offering tips, tools, activities, and resources that are relevant to the current environment throughout the next five days and beyond. Start by having a conversation with your kids. The What If? Game is a great way to think about situations kids may face in life and would need to solve. Head on over to www.fivedaysofaction.org/what-if-game to see how to get started. Here’s to Five Days focused on protecting our kids! See more

As adults, we teach children all sorts of ways to keep themselves safe. We teach them about the hot stove and to look both ways before crossing the street, but we also need to teach them about body safety. Conversations with children about body safety should be open and ongoing. Having these discussions can provide children with the skills and knowledge that will lessen the likelihood of them becoming a victim of childhood sexual abuse. Take a look at this video about Body Safety Rules that could help start those conversations with your child.

Please Explain Anxiety to Me is a book for kids to read with a grownup they trust. Fear, worry, and anxiety are normal occurrences within the life of a child. Helping children understand and process these emotions often falls in the hands of parents. This book uses a dinosaur story to explain the link between brain and body functioning, provides practical therapeutic techniques, and translates anxiety from the jargon of psychology into concrete experiences that children can relate to.

Sometimes it's hard to pay attention and focus without being distracted. Try this activity to focus your mind.

Check out our October blast!

Have you ever wondered "Are my kids safe when they are online?" Would your children know what to do if they were contacted by a stranger on the internet? With NetSmartz's "Into the Cloud", a product of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, kids learn important safety strategies for staying safer while online. https://youtu.be/z1VbxTN38fc

These steps form a framework for preventing child sexual abuse. They can help you become aware of the scope of the issue, take actionable steps toward both preventing and responding to abuse, and create safer environments for the children in your life. They act as a guide for developing protective behaviors against abuse. Over the Rainbow Children’s Advocacy Center is proud to offer Stewards of Children at no cost. Stewarts of Children is a prevention training that teaches adults how to prevent, recongize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. To learn more or get trained, contact Jessica Crouse at 717-504-8491 or [email protected]

Resilience is an important protective factor for kids. It can help them overcome adversity and continue to thrive. Check out some of these ideas and links to resources. All Are Welcome https://www.alexpenfoldbooks.com/all-are-welcome Body Safety https://themamabeareffect.org//super-body-safe_44313682.pdf... Encouraging Words https://www.mindfulmazing.com/101-encouraging-words-for-ki/ Talking About Feelings https://www.amazon.com//dp/1925089/ref=asc_df_192508907X/ I Spy Coping Skills https://www.teacherspayteachers.com//I-SPY-COPING-SKILLS-F Resources for Parents & Kids https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/home