Special Needs Curriculum
The Lauren’s Kids foundation is dedicated to preventing childhood sexual abuse through education, awareness, and advocacy. Unfortunately, one of the populations that is most vulnerable to abuse is children with developmental disabilities. More than 90 percent of people, both male and female, with developmental disabilities will be sexually abused at some point in their lives, and 49 percent will experience 10 or more abuse incidents in their lives. Children who are dependent on other adults for their care and may not be able to verbalize their experiences are most vulnerable and susceptible to abuse.
That’s why Lauren’s Kids has created resources to help children with developmental, emotional, and behavioral disabilities learn how to stay safe and access help. As part of the Safer, Smarter Kids curriculum, Lauren’s Kids created specialized Accommodation Guides to facilitate the comprehensive implementation of these important safety lessons to meet the needs of all learners utilizing the Safer, Smarter Kids curriculum kits. Use of this guide is appropriate for self-contained ESE classrooms, ESE Resource classrooms, mainstreamed students within a general education classroom setting, ESE teacher push-in to a general education classroom setting, and small group instruction within a general education classroom setting.
Did You Know? Sex offenders often target children who are withdrawn from their peers, have chaotic home lives, or have parents who need help with childcare. Children with disabilities are often targets of abuse, especially if they have challenges communicating or if they need help with personal hygiene tasks such as using the bathroom or bathing. In addition, children with some disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, may be extremely affectionate, even with strangers, making them targets for abuse. By making sure that the most vulnerable children are taught personal safety lessons, we can ensure that the number of children who experience the horrors of sexual abuse continues to decline.
