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Preparing for fun, and safety: Summer Camps on the Cape & Islands

July 16, 2021

Every summer, the Cape & Islands receives an influx of thousands of visitors, vacationers, and campers. Also included in this influx are the staff people who support our local economy and the children who live, vacation and camp here. For several years, Children’s Cove has provided comprehensive and free training to those team members who support the kids and teens in our community. The relationships formed over summer camp are strong and often last long beyond the days of July and August. Typically, camp counselors are younger individuals, who are just beginning their careers and often form bonds with the kids and teens they support. Because of this, it is critical that these counselors understand that they may become a trusted confidante to the campers, who may disclose something in their life which would require supportive action.

By educating counselors on how to effectively recognize, respond and report child abuse, we are taking steps to mitigate the stigma of abuse and increase prevention. There is a strong feeling of responsibility when told as a staff member that you are what is known as a “mandated reporter” as well as feelings of fear and concern of what you would need to do in those moments. By providing training in how to respond in an empathetic, developmentally appropriate, and honest way, we increase the likelihood a child or teen will get the support they deserve.

While the last year has been difficult to conduct as many community-based trainings as in previous years, we were able to reconnect with several of our ongoing community partners for this summer season. This year, Children’s Cove provided training to the YMCA of Cape Cod, the Nantucket Community School ACKventures program, the Martha’s Vineyard YMCA, Camp Good News and the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club. We are grateful to provide support and education to such great organizations serving the children who live and visit our community. Thank you for having us!

If you are interested in having a free training for your organization, team, or community please contact Jacob Stapledon to learn more.

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Community Partners – Cape Cod Collaborative

May 18, 2021

May is National Teacher Appreciation Month, and we could never have enough time to thank the incredible schools, teachers, guidance counselors, principals, superintendents, and school staff we work with across the Cape & Islands! Therefore, we will instead feature just one group to thank, the Cape Cod Collaborative and their STAR program team in Osterville.

The Cape Cod Collaborative STAR Program is a public day school for students who require a structured program with high levels of support. The students are referred by their home districts and necessitate additional services for their education and personal growth. These includes support for cognitive, communication, social, and emotional or behavioral (including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder) needs.

Individuals who require these types of specialized services, or who have complex physical, mental health or developmental diagnoses, are at significantly higher risk for physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Over the last few years, the Cape Cod Collaborative teams have coordinated with Children’s Cove to organize numerous trainings for their staff, teachers, and aids. They have learned how to better recognize and respond to child abuse and sexual exploitation and to identify behaviors that indicate something may be wrong, even when a child has difficulty in communicating. Additionally, they learned to partner and coordinate with Children’s Cove on difficult situations for the health and support of their students.

We would also like to thank the Cape Cod Collaborative’s Leadership team, who began the process of gaining insight and addressing challenges related to secondary trauma for their team members. They recognized that many of their staff experienced increased stress levels and burnout from listening to students discussing their trauma histories, and, at times, having to work through some very challenging situations. As a result, the leadership team has increased access to wellness activities for the staff and has started committees for an internal staff newsletter to share good news and triumphs, applaud outstanding work, and participate in fun activities, such as “silly hat” or “wild hair” days. In addition, Children’s Cove has provided training and assessments for the impacts of vicarious and secondary-traumatic stress for its staff members and is working with their teams to build capacity.

The ‘S’ in STAR stands for self-care, and the team at the Cape Cod Collaborative has been working hard to ensure that their staff are able to engage in meaningful self-care while providing high-quality education to students with diverse needs during a global pandemic. We appreciate not only the teachers, aids, staff, and administration at the Cape Cod Collaborative, but also our partnership to support the children in their care.

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Different Missions, Shared Vision

April 15, 2021

Children’s Cove works to raise awareness about the issues related to crimes against children. Fortunately, we are joined by hundreds of other professionals across the Cape & Islands who also serve the vulnerable in our community. The last year of remote schooling has posed a threat to children who are at risk at home, because they are not surrounded by safe adults and mandated reporters. Instances of domestic and sexual violence, as well as child abuse, exploitation and online exploitation have magnified with isolation from social and community connections. During Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it is essential to raise visibility of the services available to our community.

If you are aware of any child or person in an unsafe situation, there is a community of professionals who have made it their mission to help. Please reach out. Everyone should live in a community free of abuse.

If you are in immediate danger call or text 9-1-1

No matter what has happened, no matter what someone has said, no matter your fears: You are not alone. You have not done anything wrong, and you are not in trouble. Ask for help. There is an entire community that believes you.

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Community Partners – Knights of Columbus

January 19, 2021

As we forge through these colder months wearing our winter coats, we want to highlight a wonderful community partner and their contribution to warmth over the years: the Knights of Columbus. Since 2016, Knights of Columbus have donated more than 100 coats to the Children’s Cove families through their Coats for Kids program, and we are forever grateful.

Richard Kijak, Grand Knight, has coordinated the collection and drop of coats for the last two years. Prior to that, Henry and Gayle McClean served in that role. Working with Family Advocate Melanie Sachs, they reached out to the families we support every fall to see who may need winter coats, knowing that needs change over time, especially during 2020.

This past holiday season, the Knights of Columbus and a few private donors we were able to provide new winter coats for 20 families and 45 children in need, from infants to teenagers. These families described the amazing feeling they had to be able to give warm coats to their children. For those who have experienced dramatic changes in their lives, particularly from trauma, the little things can often become the big things.

Thank you to the Knights of Columbus, as well as Richard, Henry and Gayle, who we have worked with over the years. You make a difference!

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It Takes a Community

December 13, 2020

Although this year has been unprecedented and different, one thing has remained constant: the impact our partners in the community make. We want to highlight a handful of the essential partnerships we’ve had for several years, including Harbor Church in Hyannis and Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in Buzzards Bay. These two organizations have contributed to the holiday season being filled with abundance, thanks, and joy for more than 175 families and nearly 300 children who have been victims of sexual abuse. One of the most vital elements of the spirit we carry at Children’s Cove is that, even after trauma, children can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives. Our friends at Harbor and MMA help us bring that vision to life.

In the early Fall 2016, our Family Advocate gave a tour to some members of the Harbor Church, after which they asked, “How can we help?” This led to the first year in which members of the community put together full holiday meals with extra fixings, cooking utensils, and handmade cards for our team to give to families in need we’d supported that year. Since then, Harbor has doubled the amount of families they support each year and have encouraged members of their community to give back in incredible ways. We’d like to recognize and give a special thank you to Katie Rose Richie and Allison Warner, who have coordinated with Melanie the last four years in making this an annual event.

Another organization with tradition of annual giving and impact is the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Student Athlete Advisory Committee (MMA SAAC). For nearly 10 years, MMA SAAC has provided a collection of new toys and gifts for children who are seen at Children’s Cove. Every one of those years, like clockwork, they have delivered us a van (or two) full of toys to help Children’s Cove families. The student leaders at MMA have always demonstrated the inherent values of the institutions they represent, including honor, responsibility, discipline, and leadership. They have not only gathered and solicited donations from their communities, but they have also understood and communicated the mission, vision and values of Children’s Cove. By talking about these important issues and recognizing that a conversation is just as important as a donation, we may be making a difference for the future in mitigating the stigma of childhood trauma.

Over the last few years, MMA SAAC has helped nearly 250 children to have a joyful and fun holiday season. Because of the pandemic and limitation this year, the MMA SAAC, and our contacts Joe Malkin, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Advisor, and Student Athletes George Lampros and Lucia Buzzell have chosen to “pivot” and approach family support differently. In lieu of the annual toy drive, we will be sending out gift cards to families who have come through the Cove recently, and, on an as-needed basis, to families who have walked through our doors in the last few years. Our goal is to take the burden off caregivers this holiday season and to provide smiles to children and teens who have received our services.

There is still hope and healing to carry into this holiday season. We are thankful to our generous and caring community partners for their support and for sharing in our vision to create a community where children are free of abuse, have a voice that is heard, and where they can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives.

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