Skip to main content
Come Grow With Us

Join The Blue Ribbon Project’s growing team and bring your skills to meaningful work.

View Current Openings

Speak Up...Speak Out Child Abuse Awareness Training Program

Child abuse thrives in silence. One of the most effective tools in fighting it is having the ability to recognize it when it is happening. When abuse is discovered, it is often learned that the abuse had been occurring for some time but the signs were overlooked. The Speak Up...Speak Out Child Abuse Awareness Training Program was created to change that.

Speak Up...Speak Out is a free, 4-hour training program offered by The Blue Ribbon Project that teaches participants how to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect, respond appropriately to disclosures, and understand their reporting responsibilities under Maryland law. The program combines real-world case studies, professional insights, and direct discussion of the realities of abuse to give participants the knowledge and confidence to take action when a child's safety is at risk.

What the Program Covers

The training addresses the full scope of child abuse awareness and response, including:

  • Recognizing the signs of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse
  • Understanding how children disclose abuse and how to respond effectively
  • Supporting a child after a disclosure
  • Mandated reporting laws and procedures in the State of Maryland
  • The investigation process and patterns of injury
  • The impact of child abuse and neglect, including the effects on children in foster care
  • The foster care system and the long-term effects of childhood trauma

About the Presenter

The program is presented by Taylor Pyles, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Blue Ribbon Project. Taylor brings both professional expertise and personal perspective to the training. As a survivor of childhood abuse who was placed into foster care as a child, Taylor shares his own story alongside the educational content to illustrate why this work matters and how communities can do better for children.

Important Content Advisory

This program shows the true realities of child abuse. The presentation includes graphic images and frank discussions of abuse, neglect, and injury patterns. The second half of the program focuses specifically on investigations and patterns of injury and is graphic in nature. Our goal is not to shock, but to ensure that participants leave with an honest understanding of what abuse looks like so they can recognize it in their own communities. This program is intended for adults only.

Who Should Attend

Speak Up...Speak Out is designed for any adult who works with, cares for, or advocates for children. The program is regularly used in the training of:

  • Law enforcement officers
  • Firefighters and first responders
  • Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs)
  • Foster parents and kinship caregivers
  • Teachers and school staff
  • Social workers and child welfare professionals
  • Community members who want to learn how to protect children

Program Details

  • The program is approximately 4 hours in length
  • A certificate of completion is provided at the conclusion of the training
  • Light snacks and refreshments are provided during the session
  • Seating is limited and advance registration is required
  • There is no cost to attend, though donations are always welcome

Public Training Sessions

The Blue Ribbon Project offers Speak Up...Speak Out as a public training at our facility in Crownsville, Maryland throughout the year. Visit our Upcoming Events page to view scheduled training dates and to register.

Private and Agency Training

We also bring Speak Up...Speak Out directly to agencies and organizations. If you are interested in scheduling a private training for your team, department, or organization, please contact us to discuss availability and logistics.

If You Are Concerned About a Child

If you are concerned that a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect, please do not wait. You do not need proof - you only need reasonable concern. Reports made in good faith are protected by law.

  • If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
  • Maryland Child Protective Services Hotline: To report suspected abuse within Maryland, contact the Department of Social Services statewide hotline at 1-800-91Prevent (1-800-917-7383), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Outside of Maryland - Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Call or text 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-CHILD), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for mental health crisis support.

AI chatbots are not a substitute for trained crisis professionals. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please use the resources above. Reporting abuse can protect a child. Remember, you do not need to be certain that abuse is occurring - if you have concerns, reach out. Trained professionals will assess the situation and take appropriate steps.  If you are a survivor of childhood abuse and are struggling with its effects, support is available. Healing is possible, and you deserve to access it.