When you read headlines about child abuse or neglect, you may feel powerless to help. None of us can protect every child, all the time, but we can take steps to protect the children in our homes, churches, and communities. Do you have the tools you need to save a child from abuse or neglect? What is your faith community doing to protect the children in its midst?

Dedicated to empowering and equipping faith communities to keep children safe, Dove’s Nest offers training and resources on a variety of topics related to child and youth protection. In January 2015 Dove’s Nest created a national speakers’ bureau of highly qualified members who are available to train across North America. Brenda Yoder, LMHC, of Shipshewana Ind., is available to speak to Ohio Conference congregations. For information about Brenda, please see http://dovesnest.net/by.

Presentations can be uniquely tailored to your faith community to meet your training and assistance needs as you work to keep kids safe. Here are some examples of training events Dove’s Nest can offer:

• General awareness
• Policies and practices
• Circle of Grace curriculum
• Preparing youth for working in nursery or teaching classes
• Boundaries
• Positive discipline
• A child’s curiosity or predatory behavior?
• Parent awareness: how to teach your child about abuse prevention
• Responses to sex offenders

Speaking events may include from a 1–8 hour community training, a 20-minute sermon, or a 10-minute outreach spotlight during worship. Dove’s Nest also offers presentations for Sunday school classes, children’s sermons, and other church presentations.