CARE Center On Child Advocacy, Programs To Help

The C.A.R.E. Center joined News 9 on the Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch to talk about their child advocacy programs.

Shelby Lynch, director of education, said they are also excited to receive National Children's Alliance accreditation.

Lynch says ROAR is one of their programs that advocates for the safety of children.

"We want every child in Oklahoma County and the state and the nation at large to understand that they have rights, that their body belongs to them, and to make sure that they are protected from any type of abuse," Lynch said.

ROAR is an acronym that stands for:

R – Remember, Privates are Private 

O – Okay to Say No 

A – Always Talk About Secrets 

R – Raise Your Voice and Tell Someone 

Lynch said her team visits schools, daycares, churches, and youth-serving organizations to teach kids about body safety.

They recently received accreditation from the National Children's Alliance, a group that set standards for every child advocacy center across the nation.

This means that their programming could help children across the nation and not just in Oklahoma.

Lynch said they have served over 80,000 children in Oklahoma.

They recommend that children have at least three "safe adults," people they feel comfortable enough to talk to about any kind of touch that makes them uncomfortable.

"We encourage parents and caregivers to talk to their kids about their bodies," Lynch said. "It's really important to speak up and say something."

They have a virtual ROAR component on their website and offer full in-person training. 

For more information on their programming, visit their WEBSITE.

You can contact them by email at info@carecenter-okc.org.