The Child Protection Center (CPC) has been awarded $10,000 from the William and Harriet Sturdevant Memorial Charitable Trust for ongoing support of our Personal Safety and Community Awareness (PSCA) program. Statistically, 1 in 3 children online will be contacted by someone they don’t know, which in turn creates an opening for unsafe conversations and behaviors to occur. “Teaching children internet safety skills is vital to their growth and development, and to ensure they know what to do if they come across something that makes them feel uncomfortable online.” Says Michelle McSwain, Program Director of the PSCA. “The internet has opened a whole new arena for perpetrators, and it’s our job to educate our community on how to spot red flags and feel equipped to tackle the issue head on.” According to THORN’s latest Online Grooming Study, teens share that they consider online connections with people they don't know to be some of their closest friends. “This abuse prevention education is a critical part of the services we provide at the Child Protection Center,” says Doug Staley, Executive Director of the Child Protection Center. “Without prevention, we act like a hamster running on a wheel. Specifically, PSCA is hard at work addressing the issues of online safety for children across Sarasota County.” With the help and support of the William and Harriet Sturdevant Memorial Charitable Trust, PSCA will be able to continue to provide internet safety lessons to protect children that are susceptible to abuse. The Child Protection Center’s mission is the Prevention, Intervention, & Treatment of Child Abuse, as the organization envisions a community where children are safe from abuse and free to thrive. For over 40 years, CPC has been serving Sarasota and DeSoto Counties in the State of Florida, and is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance. For more information on CPC or to book a personal safety workshop, visit www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277.