The Ontario College of Teachers, Ontario's teaching regulator, has launched a new partnership with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) to develop a new sexual abuse prevention program for Ontario Certified Teachers.
"The College protects the interests and well-being of students, so C3P is a natural partner for us," said Paul Boniferro, Transition Supervisory Officer, Ontario College of Teachers. "While incidents of student abuse are rare, this program reflects our ongoing commitment to student safety by providing professional development opportunities to College licensees."
The mandatory online program, legislated by the Government of Ontario, will launch on January 1, 2022. It will leverage C3P's expertise to strengthen the College's ability to fulfill its student safety mandate through ongoing teacher education. By providing educators with an updated understanding of professional boundaries, societal standards, and potential warning signs, as well as College resources and advisories, they will be better equipped to identify and report situations where a student may be at risk of harm.
"This is an opportunity to help educators better understand the issue of sexual abuse beyond common duty to report training. It starts with understanding the role healthy professional relationships play in the protection of children," said Noni Classen, Director of Education, C3P. "We applaud the College's commitment to safety, and this partnership will no doubt become a model for teacher professional development in Canada."
"Safe spaces are inclusive spaces because they enable students to focus on what's most important, which is learning," said Dr. Derek Haime, OCT, Registrar and CEO, Ontario College of Teachers. "This partnership is a critical next step in a series of student safety initiatives developed by the College over the past 18 months."
All Ontario Certified Teachers will be required to successfully complete this one-time, online program by August 31, 2022, while new and returning applicants must pass it to be eligible for certification by the College. Completion of the program will be noted on a teacher's Certificate of Qualification and the College's public register. There is no cost to complete the program.
