SASO

CAPP

CAPP (Child Assault Prevention Program)

The CAPP program is a national and international program internationalcap.org that is continually researched to ensure developmentally appropriateness for elementary age students.  The program is based on a Best Practice Model of Prevention that includes Parents, Students, and Community.  SASO’s CAPP coordinator and all volunteers are prepared to heighten awareness of child sexual assault as well as educate parents and community members/school staff on how to talk to young children about personal safety.  The threefold workshop format of CAPP is designed to offer tools and knowledge suitable for anyone concerned about the wellbeing of young people in our communities. 

The Parent Workshop is an important component of the program to create a space for parents to ask questions about the Children’s Workshop, get to know the CAPP Coordinator, and learn about what parents can do to prevent child sexual assault.  Parents are invited to watch a video of a Children’s Workshop to gain a better understanding of the tools that CAPP offers children.  These tools are intended to enhance what parents are already teaching their children about personal safety.  The Parent Workshop encourages caregivers to incorporate personal safety discussion into their conversations with children regarding bike safety, fire safety, seatbelt safety, etc.

The School Staff/Community Workshop is a key component in building awareness and offering skills in recognizing child sexual abuse and how to handle disclosures from young children in the most appropriate way.  Adults involved in children’s lives need to understand and realize their importance in lessening the vulnerability of children.  This workshop includes a brief history of prevention models, and gives research based explanations for the Empowerment Model that CAPP is build on.  This workshop also offers evidence based tips on the impact adults have on reducing the trauma of a child who has disclosed an assault. 

The Children’s Workshop is the main component of this program.   Its focus is to brainstorm, with students, ways to maintain their rights to be “Safe, Strong, and Free”.  This workshop consists of role-plays designed to discuss the most common assault experiences a child might encounter: bullies, strangers, and known adults.  A fourth role-play is included to demonstrate what it may look like to talk to a trusted adult about a “big problem.”  (Ideally, the classroom teacher or school counselor participates in this role-play.)  Throughout the workshop, children are asked to identify trusted adults in their lives, at school, home, or other communities children might be connected to.  After the role-plays and discussion, students are invited to speak with facilitators individually to review and/or practice the skills they’ve learned in the workshop.  The program is designed to help students develop the following prevention skills:

•   Refusal skills
•   Self-assertiveness
•   Identification of feelings
•   Problem solving techniques
•   Giving and receiving peer support
•   Seeking and obtaining adult support

Teachers are asked to complete an evaluation of each workshop to ensure growth and development of the program is always in the best interest of the children participating.  Below are some comments from teachers:

“Students were engaged and felt the importance.  They will remember the skills/concepts.” – 3rd grade teacher

“CAPP is very appropriate for my students, and I’m pleased that several were able to name a trusted adult.” – high school special needs teacher