MC's CAST Program: A Crucial Step in Child Advocacy Education
The recently-added program is equipping MC students to fight child maltreatment.
Mississippi College's Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) program is a revolutionary educational effort that provides students with the information and skills required to detect, respond to, and prevent child maltreatment. The CAST program is meant to educate students for the complicated and often tragic reality of working with vulnerable children, regardless of their field of study (whether it’s social work, psychology, criminal justice, or computer science).
The CAST program, which was introduced to MC course catalogs in 2022, aims to make students aware of the signs of various forms of child abuse — neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse. Through the program, students learn how to spot these warning signs in children, which can often go unnoticed in everyday settings.
Duran Johnston, a student at Mississippi College, shared how the course helped her recognize abuse in ordinary situations.
“It's insane how impactful this course is,” Johnston said, reflecting on how the program opens eyes to the subtle signs of abuse that may otherwise go unaddressed.
This practical approach is one of the CAST program's main assets. Unlike standard social work courses, which may focus on hypothetical scenarios, CAST students are exposed to real-life circumstances that test their ability to detect risk factors and make educated judgments.
"The CAST program has quite literally prevented turnover in social work," Johnston said. Social work students, who frequently burn out owing to the emotional demands of the job, benefit from CAST's real-world experience. They aren't tossed into the field blindly; they know what they're getting into from the start.
“CAST courses are interdisciplinary, ethical, and trauma-informed,” said Dr. Laurie Lawson, a faculty member involved in the program. “Students who complete the program gain a multidisciplinary understanding of how to respond to child maltreatment, whether they work in social services, criminal justice, education, or healthcare. Students will be better equipped to accomplish the work of related agencies and advocate on behalf of child victims.”
Ultimately, Johnston believes that the CAST program is a crucial resource for anyone who might work with children in any capacity. "It's for everyone," Johnston said. "So, take a CAST course program so you know what to do, because you don't want to be stuck in a situation where you have no idea what to do and you could have prevented further trauma to the child."
Students in any major can take courses from the CAST curriculum, but those seeking to make child advocacy training part of their degree path can currently work towards either a CAST minor or certificate.
The program’s hands-on training empowers students to take action and prevent further trauma for children who might be suffering in silence, making CAST an essential part of any child advocacy career.
Mississippi College's CAST program is more than simply an academic course; it's an essential resource for anybody looking to improve the lives of abused children and families. Whether students want to work in education, healthcare, law, or another industry, CAST can teach them how to respond to child abuse with care, compassion, and professionalism.
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