Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training for Childcare Professionals: An Independent Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial of Stewards of Children

Due to high rates of childhood sexual abuse, teachers who are equipped with knowledge on childhood sexual abuse prevention, which includes recognizing warning signs and responding effectively to suspicions of abuse, can help protect children. This study evaluated how the training, Steward of Children, affected childcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to child sexual abuse prevention, as well as if in-person versus web-based training impacted its effectiveness. Researchers found that the follow-up assessment showed that Steward of Children training was an effective workshop that increased prevention of childhood sexual abuse and there was no significant difference between in-person and web-based training effectiveness.