Why it is so important to educate and advocate for children to prevent abuse from happening
Blythe Spitsbergen began serving as the Executive Director of CARE House of Oakland County in October 2016. Prior to that, she spent several years working in Metro Detroit-area nonprofits, including the Detroit Historical Society and Junior Achievement of Southeast Michigan. At CARE House, she works with a passionate, skilled and courageous team of 40, along with over 100 volunteers. They work together to provide intervention and therapy services for victims of child sexual abuse, in addition to community-focused child abuse prevention programs. Married, with a young son and daughter of her own, she understands the critical services CARE House provides to the community. “Our vision is to impact the safety of every single child in Oakland County, and we need the commitment of our community to do just that.” Her degree in social work and her commitment to giving children and families the opportunity to reclaim their lives is front and center each and every day she walks in the door at CARE House.
CARE House Outreach Programs
Child abuse is a topic no one wants to talk about.
It's uncomfortable. It's embarrassing. It draws attention to how vulnerable we are as parents and as communities. But just imagine the impact we could have if we all talked openly about this problem. When we talk about the issue of child abuse and take steps to keep children safe, we can create responsible, proactive communities where there is no place for perpetrators to have access to abuse children.
CARE House believes in its vision to impact the safety of every child in Oakland County.
Through its child abuse prevention education programs, CARE House works to make that vision closer to reality.
Let's talk about it...
For children
Body Safety Training
The Body Safety program empowers children with the knowledge to make decisions concerning their own bodies - that is, to object or tell someone when they feel their boundaries have been violated, especially because the people who abuse them are rarely strangers. Our Body Safety training teaches children that inappropriate acts by adults are never their fault. Children can protect themselves by learning to follow basic safety rules. Once we teach children the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching, we can teach them how to recognize it and then how to act on it.
Commercial Sexual Exploitation Safety
For middle schoolers, raises awareness on what human trafficking is, who it happens to and why.
Online Safety Training
For children ages 9-11, teaches children how to protect personal information, deal with online harassment, recognize risks and report victimization to adults
For adults
Body Safety Training
Stewards of Children
Stewards of Children is designed to introduce the average layperson to the concept of child abuse - how many children are at risk of being abused; how it affects children and families; who perpetrators are - and to teach them how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse in their regular lives, empowering them to protect the children they see everyday.
For professionals
Childhood Trauma Training
Provides education to individuals preparing to become social workers, teachers and other child care workers on trauma-informed care and its benefits for the health and well-being of children.
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Training
Provides a basic overview of what human trafficking is and the effect it has on children, and helps individuals to identify and engage victims
Mandated Reporter Training
Professionals who work with children have been mandated by law to report suspected abuse. There are many categories of mandated reporters, including school personnel, child care workers, medical providers, clergy, law enforcement and social workers. CARE House provides training to these mandated reporters on how to recognize and report child abuse.
For More Info:
http://www.carehouse.org/