CEO Schomburg speaks at the Advancing Outcomes for African-American Children and Families Forum, held at Morehouse School of Medicine.

CEO Schomburg with Andrew White, Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Planning, and Cheryl L. Beamon, MS.ED, CPTM, ACC, Associate Commissioner, Office of Training and Workforce Development.

Training Institute Reaches Nearly 5,000 Students in 2024–2025 School Year

At NYSPCC, prevention is one of the most powerful tools we use to support children’s safety and well-being.

Through our Training Institute, we partner with schools across New York City to provide children and youth with the knowledge, language, and confidence to recognize abuse, speak up for themselves, and support their peers.

As the 2024–2025 school year comes to a close, we are proud to highlight the reach and impact of this vital work:

• 4,982 children and youth received in-school abuse prevention education
• 4,158 elementary school students took part in 220 Safe Touches workshops focused on preventing child sexual abuse
• 166 neurodivergent children, including children on the autism spectrum, participated in an adapted version of Safe Touches
• 140 children participated in Safe Touches workshops delivered in Spanish
• 824 middle and high school youth engaged in 57 workshops addressing sexual abuse, online exploitation, bullying, sexual harassment, and dating violence

This work reflects our commitment to equipping young people with the tools they need to stay safe, build healthy relationships, and navigate their futures with confidence and resilience.

Jara Rodriguez and Luis Jacquez deliver a Safe Touches workshop at PS 58X in Bronx.

Parenting Journey Cycle Wraps with Connection and Growth

NYSPCC recently concluded our first voluntary cycle of Parenting Journey, a group-based program designed to support caregivers as they reflect on their own experiences and build stronger relationships with their children.

Since the end of March, participants met weekly to engage in guided conversations and activities focused on parenting with intention, emotional awareness, and self-reflection.

Throughout the cycle, caregivers showed remarkable openness as they shared vulnerability, supported one another, and engaged in thoughtful reflection. Many reported discovering new ways to better connect with and support their children.

This program is a core part of NYSPCC’s trauma-informed, two-generation approach. By creating space for caregivers to explore their own growth, Parenting Journey helps lay the groundwork for stronger, more connected families.

Elizabeth Enriquez, LMSW and Clinical Fellow Norma Ilario lead a virtual Parenting Journey workshop

Strengthening Supervised Visitation Through Partnership

This spring, Children’s Village, a respected leader in child and family services in New York City, welcomed NYSPCC to provide a series of trainings for staff in their supervised visitation program. The sessions introduced strategies to shift from an observational model to a more supportive, relationship-focused approach.

Led by our Clinical Department and Training Institute, the initiative ran from March through June and focused on strengthening parent-child interactions during visits while supporting families on the path to permanency—a stable, long-term living situation where they can grow together.

This collaboration builds on NYSPCC’s long-standing leadership in therapeutic supervised visitation and reflects our continued efforts to raise the standard of care and improve outcomes for families across the field.

Grace Dominguez, LMSW, and Elizabeth Enriquez, LMSW, co-lead a workshop with Children’s Village.

Bringing NYSPCC’s Expertise to the National Stage

Nicole Lim, Ph.D., NYSPCC’s Assistant Director of Program Evaluation, recently represented the agency at two major national conferences.

During the week of June 15th, she attended the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) National Conference in Chicago, where she presented early findings on the emotional impact of art therapy.

The following week, she traveled to New Orleans for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 32nd Colloquium, where she shared data from NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery Program focused on trauma symptoms in child survivors of sexual abuse.

Through data-driven practice, NYSPCC continues to demonstrate that trauma recovery can be effectively tracked and evaluated. Nicole’s contributions strengthen our ability to assess impact and share evidence-based insights with practitioners nationwide. Congratulations, Nicole!