Empowering Early Childhood Professionals to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse: A Mixed‐Methods Evaluation of the Lantern Program

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a pressing public health issue with far‐reaching, lifelong repercussions. Consequently, various prevention programs aim to empower children to disclose instances of CSA to trusted adults. These programs often deliver workshops led by educators. However, evaluations of these initiatives remain sparse, particularly concerning their impact on early childhood professionals. This mixed‐methods study aimed to explore the outcomes of the Lantern program, a CSA prevention initiative for early childhood that targets educators. The study included 141 educators who completed an online questionnaire both before and after training, with 13 participating in individual semi‐structured interviews. Results revealed that participants showed significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and perceived self‐efficacy regarding sexual education, including the promotion of gender equality, and CSA prevention. The educators valued the structured training, appreciated the time allotted to address their concerns and reported feeling better prepared and equipped to deliver sexual education, prevent CSA and conduct interventions related to sexual violence. Finally, participants developed a newfound perspective on CSA prevention and sexual education, enhancing their workplace and personal lives. This study underscores the importance of training early childhood professionals on the complexities of CSA prevention and sexual education.