The Partner in Prevention distinction is an annual distinction for 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.

How the Program Works:

Organizations that apply and are approved are recognized as a Darkness to Light Partner in Prevention for a period of 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 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

(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
*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 EMPLOYEES

(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
*All: 90% or more of employees and volunteers 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.

Partner in Prevention Application

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.

Partners in Prevention Receive:

  • An electronic version of the emblem provided for use on websites
  • A high-resolution version of the emblem for print
  • Recognition on the Darkness to Light website as a Partner in Prevention

Become a Partner in Prevention today. Apply now!

Renewal applications can be completed online using this form.

“I feel it has made people more aware of watching for signs of child sexual abuse.  When parents see the Partner in Prevention logo I think they feel they are leaving their children in a safer environment.”

Alice Edison, Minister to Children, Old Camp United Methodist Church, Georgia