Child Protection was the theme of a seminar organized by Maristes France
The first seminar dedicated to Child Protection, organized by the Marist Network of France, Province of the Hermitage, was held in Paris on January 15 and 16. This event brought together child protection delegates from Marist institutions to share their experiences, exchange good practices and learn about the tools needed to strengthen prevention measures against all forms of child abuse.
The seminar was led by Céline Bissardon, director of the Notre Dame des Victoires school in La Valla-en-Gier, member of the child protection team of Maristes France and recently promoted by the Jonas platform for her commitment to training in child protection.
A formation based on Marist values
The presentation began with a reflection inspired by the words of Marcellin Champagnat, who recalled the responsibility of educators and teachers towards children. He urged them to adopt exemplary behavior in order to become positive and inspiring role models for young people.
Preventing, understanding and acting
The seminar was structured around a few key themes:
- Child protection standards and mechanisms: emphasis was placed on the tools offered by Catholic education in France to prevent and manage situations of abuse.
- Risk indicators: the participants were invited to learn how to detect warning signs and understand vulnerability factors, an essential pillar of effective prevention.
- The profile of abusers: the need for an in-depth analysis, always with a view to prevention, to better identify the behaviors to watch out for was recalled.
One of the highlights of the training course was the exchange of experiences among the participants, who shared the systems implemented in their respective establishments. This diversity of approaches enriched perspectives and made it possible to develop new strategies.
Welcoming children’s opinions
The last part of the seminar was devoted to a practical guide for adults, designed to help them deal with a child who reports abuse. This crucial stage is designed to ensure that children are listened to with attention and understanding, which is essential to establishing a climate of trust.
This seminar is an important step forward in the fight against child abuse. Thanks to it, the delegates left with concrete tools to pursue their mission and develop actions in favor of child protection in Marist establishments, thus reinforcing the commitment of Catholic education to the fundamental values of respect, dignity and safety.
