Board Policy

BP 5141.41

Students

Child Abuse Prevention

Every child has the right to live free of physical and emotional abuse, including neglect and sexual assault. The Board of Education recognizes that such abuse has severe consequences for the child, sometimes resulting in the child's own violent behavior or in drug addiction. Schools are in a position to promote the prevention of child abuse and its reoccurrence, and to reduce the general vulnerability of children.

Age-appropriate and culturally-appropriate child abuse prevention curriculum shall be a component of the district's health and safety instruction. This curriculum shall explain students' rights to live free of abuse, inform them of available support resources, and teach them how to obtain help and disclose incidents of abuse. The curriculum also shall include training in self-protection techniques.

The Superintendent or designee shall provide coordinated training for teachers who will use the child abuse prevention curriculum, including instruction in the physical and behavioral indicators of abuse, crisis counseling techniques, community resources, rights and responsibilities to report abuse or neglect, and care for a child's needs after a report is made.

(cf. 5141.4 - Child Abuse Reporting Procedures)

The Superintendent or designee shall seek to incorporate community resources into the schools' child abuse prevention programs. To the extent feasible, the Superintendent or designee shall also use these community resources to provide parents/guardians with instruction in parenting skills and child abuse prevention.

Parents/guardians shall receive prior notice of child abuse prevention instruction whenever such instruction will include family life or sex education for which notification is required by law.

(cf. 1020 - Youth Services)

(cf. 6142.1 - Family Life/Sex Education)

Legal Reference:

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

18975-18979 The Maxine Waters Child Abuse Prevention Training Act of 1984

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: March 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California