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Partner in Prevention

Home Partner in Prevention

Creating safer spaces for children.

We’re currently revamping our Partner in Prevention program. Please keep an eye out for an updated application process coming in early 2026!

 

A Partner in Prevention is an organization or business that has committed the time and effort to educate themselves on how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. An organization receives the Darkness to Light Partner in Prevention distinction when they have successfully met the annual guidelines established by Darkness to Light. 

How the Program Works

How the Program Works:

Organizations that apply and are approved are recognized as a Darkness to Light Partner in Prevention for one year. The organization is given a dated Partner in Prevention emblem to display at their facility, place on their website, and use on printed materials. The emblem is a sign to the community that the organization has made a commitment to prevention and has put measures in place to prevent child sexual abuse in their organization and in their community. 

How the Program Works

How the Program Works:

Organizations that apply and are approved are recognized as a Darkness to Light Partner in Prevention for one year. The organization is given a dated Partner in Prevention emblem to display at their facility, place on their website, and use on printed materials. The emblem is a sign to the community that the organization has made a commitment to prevention and has put measures in place to prevent child sexual abuse in their organization and in their community. 

The Partner In Prevention Commitment Includes

The Partner in Prevention Commitment Includes:

  • Making prevention a priority by using Stewards of Children® to train staff and volunteers who interact with youth 
  • Conducting background checks on staff and volunteers who work with youth 
  • Implementing policy that limits opportunities for one adult to be alone with one child
The Partner In Prevention Commitment Includes

The Partner in Prevention Commitment Includes:

  • Making prevention a priority by using Stewards of Children® to train staff and volunteers who interact with youth 
  • Conducting background checks on staff and volunteers who work with youth 
  • Implementing policy that limits opportunities for one adult to be alone with one child 
What The Partner In Prevention Distinction Means to Parents

What the Partner in Prevention Distinction Means to Parents:

Organizations that train their staff and volunteers create an environment that better protect children. Perpetrators are drawn to places where they can have easy access to children. An organization that emphasizes prevention through training and appropriate polices is an unwelcoming place for a perpetrator. Training increases staff and volunteer awareness that teaches them to recognize the signs that an opportunity exists for abuse to occur, and the signs that abuse has occurred. It is also critical that staff and volunteers know how to react if they recognize the signs or if a child discloses abuse. 

What The Partner In Prevention Distinction Means to Parents

What the Partner in Prevention Distinction Means to Parents:

Organizations that train their staff and volunteers create an environment that better protect children. Perpetrators are drawn to places where they can have easy access to children. An organization that emphasizes prevention through training and appropriate polices is an unwelcoming place for a perpetrator. Training increases staff and volunteer awareness that teaches them to recognize the signs that an opportunity exists for abuse to occur, and the signs that abuse has occurred. It is also critical that staff and volunteers know how to react if they recognize the signs or if a child discloses abuse. 

Find a Partner in Prevention

How Does an Organization Qualify?

There are three different sets of criteria for qualification based on the type of organization or business applying for the Partner in Prevention Distinction: 

Organizations that provide direct services to youth and the adults who work with children are PRIMARILY VOLUNTEERS & STAFF (i,e, church, mentoring program, sports program):

  • All* current employees and volunteers have been trained using Stewards of Children®, AND 
  • Background checks are completed for all employees and volunteers, AND 
  • The organization requires that situations where one adult is alone with one child, be observable and interruptible. Proper documentation needs to be provided (i.e. code of conduct, child protection policies, etc.)

*All: 90% or more of employees and volunteers who interact with youth 

Organizations that provide direct services to youth and the adults who work with children are PRIMARILY STAFF (i.e. school, daycare, library):

  • All* current employees are trained using Stewards of Children®, AND 
  • Background checks are completed for all employees, AND 
  • The organization requires that situations where one adult is alone with one child, be observable and interruptible. Proper documentation needs to be provided (i.e. code of conduct, child protection policies, etc.)

*All: 90% or more of employees who interact with youth

Organizations that DO NOT provide direct services to youth (i.e. police department, civic organization, corporate sponsor):

  • All* current employees or members are trained using Stewards of Children®, OR 
  • A particular subset of all* employees or members are trained using Stewards of Children®, AND 
  • Organization pledges to conduct the training at least one time per year to incorporate new employees or members, AND 
  • Organization pledges to have employees or members repeat the training every three years. 

*All: refers to 90% or more of employees or members. In the case where a significant subset of employees are being trained, i.e., all police officers or all firefighters, “all” refers to at least 90% of the subset employees being trained, not 90% of the entire employee base. 

Please contact our Prevention Education department at info@D2L.org if you have any questions about the program.

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The Partner in Prevention distinction does not confer any endorsement or approval of an organization or business by Darkness to Light. The program and associated emblem is intended only to convey that the organization has met certain training standards and is not an endorsement of the services provided. 

The organization is responsible for tracking who has completed the training and making sure new employees and volunteers are trained in a timely manner. Employees and volunteers are required to repeat the training every three years. Proper documentation, in the form of child protection policies or a code of conduct, regarding situations where one adult is alone with one child, be observable and interruptible is required. 

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