This page is designed to help schools develop good systems for preventing and responding to sexual abuse. This includes following Maine law, implementing the statewide model policy for child sexual abuse, and other system- or organizational-level change.
Implement the statewide policy
The law (20-A MRSA §254, sub-§18) states that all school administrative units (SAUs) that operate schools with public pre-K through grade 5 shall adopt a local written policy for child sexual abuse prevention education and response that is consistent with the Maine Department of Education (DOE) model policy.
For more information about implementing the model policy, see this implementation guide, created by MECASA and the Dept. of Education, which details the specific requirements of the policy.
For more information about implementing the model policy, see this implementation guide, created by MECASA and the Dept. of Education, which details the specific requirements of the policy.
Implementation Guide, Maine Department of Education
CSA Model Policy, Maine Department of Education
Sample Action Plan Template, Maine Department of Education
Other Related Policies:Overview of Title IX, US Department of Justice
- Title IX, which outlines school’s obligations related to sexual assault and harassment.
Title IX, US Department of EducationAn Act to Prohibit Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools, The Maine Legislature
- Bullying Law and Model policy
Model Policy for Bullying & Cyberbullying, Maine Department of Education
Bullying Prevention, Maine Department of Education
Understand your school's needs
Needs assessments can be focused on an area of interest for your school (such as students' sense of safety, or data related to health or discipline) or be more broad and exploratory. For the purposes of addressing this policy, a needs assessment could be used to examine assets and gaps in prevention, intervention, and responses to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. In addition, a needs assessment can help to facilitate the development of effective and comprehensive programs for students.
Online Needs Assessment and School Improvement Tool, ASCD
Conducting Strengths and Needs Assessment, STEP Grant Program
Set and follow effective reporting policies
Maine schools should have a comprehensive mandated reporting policy and protocols, and review them regularly with personnel. The policy and protocols should include the following elements:
- Who is a required reporter: All school personnel - school faculty, staff, coaches and activities advisors – as well as school volunteers.
- What must be reported: Any time abuse is known or suspected. Child abuse in is defined as a “threat to the health or welfare of a child.” If the known or suspected abuser is a “person responsible for the child,” the report should go directly to Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). If the abuser is someone not responsible for the child, the report should go to the District Attorney.
- How to make a report: Mandated reporters in Maine are required to report known or suspected abuse directly to the Maine DHHS or a District Attorney. If individuals don’t report directly, but instead report to a school’s designated reporter, they must confirm in writing that a report was made on their behalf (pursuant to 22 MRS §4011-A and §4012).
- What should be included in a report: Reports should be consistent with Maine School Management Association school board policies JLF.
- Timeframe for making reports: Reports must be made immediately, and followed up in writing within 24 hours on request.
- Guidance on written documentation of the report: Written documentation should be strictly limited, and only include required information, rather than personal assessments or conclusions (22 MRS §4012). Training for unbiased documentation methods is recommended.
- Guidance on protecting the child’s confidentiality: Individuals should discuss their concerns with as few other people as possible.
- Required referral to local sexual assault support resources: A complete list of local sexual assault support centers can be found here.
Nurture a safe and healthy school climate
“School climate” describes the norms, values, and expectations that support people to feel socially, emotionally, and physically safe in your school. Research has shown associations between a positive school climate and lower levels of alcohol and drug use, bullying, and harassment (Attar-Schwartz, 2009). Healthy school climates also nurture positive adult-child relationships, which are one of the most important protective factors related to child sexual abuse. When children know they will be listened to, believed, and know who they can trust to discuss challenging topics with, they are more likely to talk about situations that may be unsafe or unhealthy.
Importance of School Climate, National Education Association
School Climate, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
What is School Climate?, National Association of Elementary School Principals
Be a trauma informed school
In a trauma-informed school, the adults in the school community are prepared to recognize and respond to those who have been impacted by traumatic stress; those adults include administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and law enforcement. Trauma-informed schools provide students and adults with clear expectations and communication strategies to guide them through stressful situations. The goal is to help the students and adults cope with extreme situations, as well as to create an underlying culture of respect and support.
Becoming a trauma-informed school is an ongoing process of creating an environment of safety, respect, and open communication. This may include strategic planning by administrators, staff training, and direct support for children experiencing trauma. A trauma-informed school environment address the impact of trauma on students, trauma services in schools, threat assessment, student behavior, secondary trauma, and bullying.
Becoming a trauma-informed school is an ongoing process of creating an environment of safety, respect, and open communication. This may include strategic planning by administrators, staff training, and direct support for children experiencing trauma. A trauma-informed school environment address the impact of trauma on students, trauma services in schools, threat assessment, student behavior, secondary trauma, and bullying.
Creating Trauma-informed Classrooms, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining a Trauma-informed School, National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Six Ways to Become a Trauma-Informed School, National Resilience Network
Creating and Advocating for Trauma-Sensitive Schools, Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative
Unlocking the Door to learning: Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Transformational Schools, Education Law Center
Know your local sexual assault support resources
Every region of Maine has dedicated sexual assault support centers, who offer free and confidential 24-hour helpline support, one to one support, support groups, community training and education about sexual violence, and sexual violence prevention programming. Services are available to anyone impacted by sexual violence, no matter when it happened or whether what happened was a crime, and even if they are supporting a friend, family, or student. For more information about sexual violence prevention education, contact your local sexual assault support center.
Law Requirements
Policy
Every school district with a publicly funded pre-k through grade 5 program in Maine are required to have a policy in place around responding to and reporting known or suspected child sexual abuse. This policy should be separate from the district's mandated reporter policy and include information about the following:
- Expectations for reporting - Who makes the report and, if not the individual observing or with knowledge of abuse, the protocol for reporting on someone's behalf
- Inclusion of who falls into the "mandated reporter" category - This would include volunteers, school personnel, bus drivers, mental health professionals, etc. and the expectation for volunteers that know of or suspect child sexual abuse
- Encouragement for those who are not mandated reporters but who know of or suspect abuse to report to the school's designee or DHHS directly
- Explicit direction that individuals suspecting or knowing of child sexual abuse should not ask probing questions and engage in interview techniques with the student and should limit written documentation
- Written guidance prohibiting acts of reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an incident of child sexual abuse
Staff Training
All school personnel in the district (pre-k through grade 12) are required to receive a one-hour training within six months of hire on understanding and responding to child sexual abuse. This training should be delivered by a qualified instructor (someone who is comfortable talking about and engaging others around child sexual abuse prevention and response). The training must be evidence-informed and updated every four years.
The training will:
The training will:
- Increase awareness of developmentally appropriate and inappropriate sexual behaviors in children; and
- Increase ability to identify indicators of sexual abuse, including physical and psychosocial indicators on a spectrum (including lower to higher probability); and
- Increase ability to effectively respond to sexual behavior or disclosures or suspicions of child sexual abuse; and
- Includes your local sexual abuse and sexual assault support centers.
Prevention Education
Your local sexual assault support center can assist in ensuring your students have access to educational workshops regarding topics like boundaries, communication, consent, and online safety. Centers may be able to offer material directly to your classrooms or may be able to support you in developing workshops. That support could look like: suggesting existing curricula that are evidence based or informed, offering training to build school personnel's skills and comfort delivering this content, and offering consultation on curricula you intend to use.
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The Children's Safety Partnership is a program of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) and a partnership between MECASA, the Maine Department of Education, Maine's local sexual assault support centers, and schools across the state.