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 Mandy Sanchez on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The Sept. 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 Holly Naylor, LACASA’s director of family prevention and education. “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.”
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. Sanchez says the goal is not to scare parents, but to empower them to talk openly with the kids in their lives.
“Parents and school personnel don’t need to be digital experts; they need the knowledge, tools, and confidence to start these conversations now,” Sanchez said. “By replacing fear with honest research-based guidance, we can help young people think critically about what they encounter online and build healthier, safer relationships.”
Two sessions will be offered to make the training accessible to different audiences:
1-4 p.m.: Professional development training
Designed for child advocacy professionals, mental health professionals, school personnel, multidisciplinary team partners, and others, this session will examine digital risks to children and provide strategies for assessment, prevention, intervention and collaboration. The training offers 2.5 MI-NASW and 2.5 MCBAP Continuing Education credits. Registration is $25.
7-8:30 p.m.: Parent and community training
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 and a pizza dinner will be served.
“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.”
Registration is required for these sessions. Learn more and sign up at https://lacasacenter.org/culturereframedtraining/.
About LACASA
LACASA Center is a locally based organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. The nonprofit provides critical services and educational programs that build awareness about interpersonal violence and help prevent abuse in the community. To learn more, visit lacasacenter.org.
About Mandy Sanchez and Culture Reframed
Mandy Sanchez joined Culture Reframed as the program coordinator in the spring of 2021. She holds a doctorate in sociology with a specialization in criminology and women’s studies from the University of Hawaii and has been a professor of sociology and criminal justice since 2013. For more information about Sanchez and Culture Reframed visit https://culturereframed.org/.
