Dakota Children's Advocacy Center Launches Body Safety Book for Kids

The Dakota Children's Advocacy Center introduced Scout to a wider audience on March 24, not as the therapy dog who eases children through difficult advocacy interviews, but as the central character in a new illustrated children's book designed to help parents and educators across Stutsman County open conversations about body safety.

"Body Safety with Scout" launched during national Child Abuse Prevention Month and pairs the book with printable activity pages and structured conversation starters for caregivers. DCAC developed the materials in Jamestown alongside a network of partner children's advocacy centers across North Dakota, building a resource aimed at standardizing the language adults use when discussing personal boundaries, safe and unsafe touching, and trusted adults with young children. That consistency, grounded in child protection best practices, is associated with stronger recall of safety rules among children and higher rates of reporting.

Scout's role in the book extends an approach the center already uses in its advocacy work. The therapy dog's presence during sensitive interviews has long been central to DCAC's model, and embedding Scout in the prevention resource carries that calming effect into classrooms and living rooms before a child ever has formal contact with the center.

Schools, pediatricians, libraries, and childcare providers in Jamestown, Medina, and Buchanan can request copies, schedule DCAC presentations, or download the companion materials through the center's website at dakotacac.org. DCAC staff and volunteers plan to deploy the book through in-school presentations and community outreach through April and beyond.

The launch also creates a concrete entry point for donors. Book purchases, distribution costs, and volunteer classroom visits are specific ways community members can support the initiative, and the April timing maximizes visibility at a moment when public attention to prevention services is already elevated.