Training for Professionals

We customize trainings to the specific needs of individual agencies and organizations. For questions about training options and costs, please contact the CAC’s Training Program Manager, Erica Chepulis, at Erica.L.Chepulis@mass.gov. You can also request a training with this form:

Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse (1.5-2 hours)

Most children do not tell someone when they’re being abused or neglected. Adults have a responsibility to identify and respond appropriately to any suspicions of child maltreatment. In this training, participants will learn to identify the signs of child abuse and neglect, how to respond to a disclosure, and how to get help for the child.

Understanding Children's Sexual Behaviors (1.5-2 hours)

When children display sexual behaviors, it can be difficult to gauge the level of concern and know how to best respond. Participants will gain skills to differentiate between sexual behavior that is concerning from what is developmentally expected, respond effectively, and identify resources to support children experiencing problematic sexual behaviors.

Exploitation in the Virtual World (1.5-2 hours)

This training provides an overview of what youth are seeing and experiencing online, how professionals can help keep youth safe, and what to do if a child has experienced online exploitation. Participants will learn about:

• Sexual development and exposure to the virtual world, including sexually explicit content and pornography
• Recognizing online exploitation, including online grooming and sextortion
• Risky behaviors in adolescence, such as sexting and non-consensual image sharing, and how perpetrators take advantage of these behaviors
• Preventing and responding to online exploitation, as well as how to talk to youth and caregivers about this issue

Responding to Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (1.5-2 hours)

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is child sexual abuse. The ability to identify CSEC victims ensures that these victims receive the appropriate supports and services. Participants will be able to define CSEC, identify risk factors for victimization, recognize indicators that a child might be experiencing CSEC, and better understand mandated reporting laws and their role in responding to suspected CSEC.

Stop, Block, Talk: Empowering Youth & Families to Stay Safe Online (1.5-2 hours)

Stop, Block, and Talk is a proactive approach that teaches kids a simple but memorable way to use websites, apps, and videogames in the smartest and safest way possible. Participants will learn:

• What are youth posting and how can it affect their future?
• What kinds of pressures do youth face?
• What are the risks associated with commonly used apps, sites, and games?
• How can youth reduce their risk through the Stop, Block, and Talk framework and by applying safety settings?
• How common is sexting? What is sextortion and how does it happen?
• What is the law pertaining to these issues in MA?

I Filed a 51A Report, Now What?: The Multidisciplinary Response to Child Abuse (1-1.5 hours) 

Learn how our multidisciplinary team responds to reports of child abuse and neglect in Suffolk County. Participants will learn about the role of the CAC, law enforcement, DCF, and the District Attorney’s Office in the response, and how a coordinated response benefits children and families impacted by abuse.

Designed for: Professionals who have engaged in the initial CAC training, 'Recognizing & Responding to Child Abuse.'

Responding to Disclosures: What Education Personnel Need to Know (1.5-2 hours) 

School staff often foster strong, long-term rapport with students, which may enable disclosures of abuse. Learn best practices for responding to disclosures in the moment in a supportive and non-retraumatizing manner, reporting with school guidelines in mind, how the system unfolds in Suffolk County following a 51A report of child abuse.

Designed for: Professionals working with youth in schools or similar educational program settings.

The Identification & Trauma-Informed Engagement of LGBTQ+ Youth At-Risk or Commercially Sexually Exploited (1.5-2 hours)

LGBTQ+ youth at high risk or commercially sexually exploited face unique challenges when trying to access support. In this training, the CAC's Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN) team will discuss how providers can create physically and emotionally safe spaces for youth, as defined by youth. Participants will identify strategies for engaging with and empowering LGBTQ+ youth.

Designed for: Professionals who may engage with LGBTQ+ youth who are at risk or commercially sexually exploited.

High-Risk Missing and Exploited Youth: The Multidisciplinary Team Response (1.5-2 hours)

Youth who are missing from care are particularly vulnerable to exploiters who seek to prey upon their isolation and lack of resources. This training is designed to increase the ability of first responders to recognize and respond to high-risk, missing victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Participants will learn about the nexus between the internet, missing youth, and CSEC, as well as the composition of the CSEC Multidisciplinary Team when youth go missing. They will receive practical guidance and discuss strategies and approaches to trauma-informed engagement, planning the recovery of high-risk missing youth, and prevention.

Designed for: Professionals who may be part of the Multidisciplinary Team responding to high-risk missing child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

Minimal Facts: Responding to Concerns & Reports of Child Abuse in Suffolk County (1.5-2 hours)

First responders have a duty to both gather necessary information to support children who may have been abused as well as avoid retraumatizing the child or compromising a potential investigation. Learn about the role of the CAC and its Multidisciplinary Team model as well as what "Minimal Facts" questioning is and how to facilitate this type of information-gathering with children.

Designed for: First responders and Multidisciplinary Team members investigating concerns and reports of child abuse.

Medical Services for Children who Experienced Abuse or Neglect (1-1.5 hours)

Learn about children's specific medical needs following trauma and the medical services provided at the Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. For professionals working in medical settings, the CAC's Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (Pedi-SANE) also facilitates training on how to provide appropriate medical care for children who have experienced trauma as well as how to collect forensic evidence, utilizing the Massachusetts Pediatric Evidence Collection Kit, for acute sexual assault child victims.

Designed for: Professionals working in medical settings or making specialized referrals for medical services following child abuse or neglect.

The Essential Role of Interpreters in Forensic Interviews (1-1.5 hours)

Learn about the coordination process and stages of forensic interviews of children who have been impacted by violence or abuse. Understand the critical function of the interpreter, challenges that may arise during child abuse investigations, as well as the CAC’s goals and recommendations for best practices.

Designed for: Professional interpreters for the child, family, or Multidisciplinary Team during child abuse investigations.

Developing a Multidisciplinary Response to Child Trafficking (timeline varies)

We work with organizations to improve their systematic response to child trafficking. We provide consultation and in-person training on developing a coalition, designing protocols for identifying high-risk youth and responding to suspicions of child trafficking, and forming a framework for multidisciplinary case coordination.