Lantern Program

Launched in 2019, Lantern aims to prevent sexual violence against children aged 0 to 5 by empowering the adults around them, including parents and early childhood professionals, with the necessary tools.

This program focuses on sex education and the promotion of egalitarian relationships specifically adapted to the developmental levels of young children. It is also aligned with the existing sex education curriculum in Quebec’s primary and secondary schools.

Lantern is made possible by financial support from the Ministère de la Famille, via the Committee for Continuing Education and Professional Development of Home-Based Educational Childcare Providers (RSGE), as well as from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Who is Lantern For?

The Lantern program is specifically designed for:

  • Children aged 0 to 5
  • Early childhood professionals working with children in this age group (educators and staff in childcare centres, family-based educational daycares, drop-in daycares, and community organizations)
  • Adults in the lives of young children

Objectives

Lantern aims to create a safe and protective environment for young children by focusing on the following goals:

  • Strengthening the capacity of early childhood professionals to prevent sexual violence against young children.
  • Educating children about sexuality, in a way that is adapted to their level of development, helping them recognize and prevent abusive behaviours.
  • Promoting egalitarian relationships: teaching children from an early age about respectful and balanced interactions.

Approach and Content

  • The program is designed to increase children’s safety and facilitate disclosure.
  • The learning process focuses on anatomy, sexual violence, and protective skills, such as speaking to a trusted adult.

To effectively support young children, the content must:

  • Target multiple audiences, particularly the adults around them (parents and educators).
  • Be age-appropriate, using clear and accessible language.
  • Use concrete and simple terms, avoiding abstract concepts like safety, freedom, secrets, intuition, and rights.
  • Be delivered over multiple sessions with repetition of key concepts.
  • Be interactive and engaging.

Tools

Because young children develop at their own pace across different areas, Lantern offers a diverse range of educational tools for children, parents, and professionals. These resources are designed to reach as many children as possible based on their interests and abilities.

Cahier parent-enfant « Parler de sexualité avec les enfants pour mieux les protéger »

Ce cahier offre des contenus adaptés au développement des tout-petits pour faciliter la communication sur divers sujets liés à l’éducation à la sexualité. Cet outil offre ainsi la possibilité de se positionner comme adulte de confiance en répondant aux questions d’un∙e jeune enfant.

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Cahier-causerie « Dis-moi tout, Marvin »

sur comment parler de sexualité de manière adaptée aux jeunes enfants. Il s’agit d’un outil de discussion conçu pour aborder tout ce que les enfants de 0 à 5 ans devraient savoir sur la sexualité.

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Livret des émotions « Comment te sens-tu, Marvin? »

pour aider les enfants de 1 à 3 ans à reconnaître les émotions de base, tout en introduisant des notions d’affirmation de soi et d’adulte de confiance. Dans cet outil, une attention particulière a également été portée à normaliser toutes les émotions pour tous les enfants, peu importe leur genre.

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Lantern Training Programs

A six-hour training course, available online or in person.

For more information or to book a session, contact formation@marie-vincent.org

Learn more about the training

Participant
Testimonials

« The material provided was truly amazing. These are great tools, and the trainer was very engaging. I loved everything about this training. »
A frontline worker
« This training should be mandatory and integrated into every educational program, just like healthy lifestyle habits, good manners, and hygiene. It’s also a great way to build stronger relationships with parents. »
A childcare provider