We’re Hosting a Training on the Digital Risks That Children Face on September 30

Children and teens are navigating an increasingly complex digital world where social connection, entertainment and emerging technologies can also create opportunities for grooming, exploitation and exposure to harmful content. To help adults better understand these risks and how to respond,  LACASA is partnering with Culture Reframed to host a day of training led by renowned national expert Dr. Mandy Sanchez.

The September 30 sessions will explore the impact of social media, gaming, pornography and artificial intelligence on youth, including how digital platforms can contribute to grooming, child sexual exploitation and trafficking. Participants will also learn about trauma-informed, evidence-based strategies to promote youth safety and resilience.

“We know that technology is an increasingly important part of young people’s lives, and that means the adults around them need to understand both the opportunities and the risks that come with it,” said LACASA Director of Family Prevention and Education Holly Naylor. “We want parents, school personnel, and community members to understand the realities of today’s landscape as well as the role they play in keeping kids safe.” 

Dr. Sanchez, an expert on violence in a media-dominated society and its effects on children, will lead the training. Her presentation will address the potential harms of hypersexualized media and pornography while providing practical strategies for adults to better support children.

“The problem isn’t just what’s already out there,” Sanchez noted. “It’s the way this content is pushed, recommended, and normalized in the spaces our kids use every day.”

Two sessions will be offered on September 30 to make the training accessible to different audiences:

Professional Development Training: Wednesday, September 30, 1 – 4 p.m. 

Designed for child advocacy professionals, school personnel and multidisciplinary team partners, this session will examine digital risks to children and provide strategies for assessment, prevention, intervention and collaboration. The training offers 2.5 Continuing Education credits. Registration is $25. Register by clicking the button below.

Parent & Community Training: Wednesday, September 30, 7 – 8:30 p.m. 

This session will focus on helping parents, caregivers and community members understand the digital landscape children are navigating and identify practical ways to promote safety and resilience. This session is free. Register by clicking the button below.

“Parents and professionals don’t need to be experts in every new platform or technology to help keep children safe,” Naylor said. “They do, however, need the information and tools to recognize potential risks and know how to respond.”