A Brighter Future Conference: Ending Child Abuse through Advocacy and Education

Better life for children

Prevent Child Abuse America is excited to introduce Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania, a statewide organization focusing solely on primary prevention — stopping child abuse before it ever happens. PCA PA is one of 47 chapters of PCAA, a national organization created in 1972 to draw attention to and prevent the abuse of our nation’s children.

Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania is under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics and is the only state chapter of PCAA that is directly affiliated with a chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The primary focus of the organization is to raise public awareness of the importance of prevention and to get communities involved in supporting positive family interactions, and when necessary, reporting suspected child abuse and neglect (anyone can report suspected abuse by calling ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313). With more than 1 million confirmed cases of child abuse each year in our country (4,201 in Pennsylvania in 2008), the establishment of a PCA chapter in Pennsylvania is welcomed by all who want a better life for our children.

In a 2007 Economic Impact Study, it was estimated that the annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the U.S. is $104 billion. In addition to this staggering number is the number of abused and neglected children who grow up to have significantly increased risk of physical, emotional and mental health problems, drug and alcohol addiction, criminal activity and a variety of social difficulties.

PCA PA will launch a public awareness campaign in April for Child Abuse Prevention Month, beginning with a kick-off event on April 1. The campaign will seek to reframe the way society looks at child abuse and neglect through community events and attention to public policies that favor prevention first. In preparation for the campaign, PCA PA has introduced the Pinwheels for Prevention program, the national platform of PCAA, to raise awareness of our community commitment to work together to prevent child maltreatment and the clear message that prevention is possible. The pinwheel, a symbol of the carefree days of childhood, represents the vision PCA PA has for every child in Pennsylvania.

Future goals of PCA PA include the distribution of child abuse prevention information, collaborating with “Prevention Partners” such as children’s hospitals, pediatric practices, Children and Youth agencies and community service organizations, working to educate parents and teens on nonviolence, and promoting positive parenting practices.

To learn more and to find out how you can participate in the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, go to www.preventchildabusePA.org.

Source: http://www.dailyitem.com/0111_letters/local_story_039054411.html

Editorial: Preventing child abuse and neglect often begins with adults who are willing to take action

Two hundred and one.

Ponder this figure for awhile. It’s the number of children who died as a direct result of child abuse and neglect in Florida in 2008.

Such is the sobering revelation in the December 2009 annual report produced by the State Child Abuse Death Review Committee.

Sadly, violence against children — and neglect of children — is increasing, not decreasing, in the Sunshine State and the Treasure Coast.

The 201 deaths in 2008 represent about a 20 percent increase from 2007, when 163 children died from verified child abuse or neglect. Of the 201 deaths, 184 of the children were 5 years old or younger.

In our three-county region, eight children died from abuse or neglect in 2008 (seven in St. Lucie County, one in Indian River County), up from five in 2007.

The death of even one child from abuse or neglect always is a tragedy — even more so because it is preventable.

The solution often is a parent who recognizes the need to get counseling, a spouse who intervenes when his/her partner is abusing a son or daughter, a neighbor who suspects child abuse and calls the Florida Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-96-ABUSE), or a conscientious citizen who is willing to make a donation to an organization that helps counsel families to prevent abuse, and works to prevent child abuse and help adults become loving, caring parents.

The state’s rising unemployment rate — and the related pressures it puts on families — and substance abuse are two of the causative factors contributing to the increase in child deaths, according to the report.

“The most tragic consequences of child abuse and neglect is a child’s death,” the report states. “The well being of a victim depends on the adults who are willing to take action.”

Ultimately, preventing child abuse and neglect often is a personal issue requiring a personal decision to act in the best interests of a child. Are you on the look out for child abuse? Do you know the warning signs? Do you know what to do and how to respond if you suspect child abuse? (Log on to www.exchangecastle.org for valuable resources and answers to these and other questions.)

Finally, are you willing to take action?

Your intervention may mean the difference between life and death for a child.

Source: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/08/editorial-preventing-child-abuse-and-neglect-who/

It’s easy to be a child’s advocate

It is understood that all children need love. They need to be in an environment where love exists, where they know they are cared for.

Unfortunately, there are too many who are in need of a safe haven. Some have lost their parents, many are victims of neglect or mental or physical abuse.

What makes this area great is that there is an agency that helps to right the wrongs. Children can rely on CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). It is the voice for children who are caught up in the complex welfare and juvenile court systems.

There are those who volunteer to become the voice for these children, people who care, who are not too busy to enhance the life of a child.

CASA was created in 1977 and became a national organization in 1982. Over the years, millions have served as volunteers, spending millions of hours serving hundreds of thousands of children.

Many have served in the volunteer capacity for many years. Locally, CASA is seeking sponsors. Sponsors not only work with the neglected, but they are recognized for the sharing of their time.

In Louisiana:

• A child is abused every 48 minutes.
• Every 10.5 hours a child is confirmed to have been sexually abused.
• At any given time, there are more than 5,000 children in foster care, and of those in foster care, 48 percent are under 5.
• A child dies before his or her first birthday every 14 hours.

Louisiana is ranked 49th in overall child well-being

Grim articles have appeared in newspapers across the country citing increased child abuse reports. Nobody can say for sure that the recession is causing this spike, but the collective gut feeling among child welfare experts is that it is.

Parents, stressed beyond their breaking points by forces out of their control, can make split-second decisions that put their children in jeopardy. When home is no longer safe, these kids will enter the foster care/child welfare system.

From July 1, 2009 through January 2010, CASA of St. Landry Parish has trained 26 volunteers, closed 14 cases, served 72 children; and they are expecting the need for their services to grow.

But the same recession that is driving the kids into the system has imperiled funding. CASA needs your help. St. Landry has 114 children in foster care. CASA’s goal is to place a volunteer with every child in foster care.

The good news is that CASA runs on the power of trained volunteers who save taxpayers millions of dollars each year by getting kids out of foster care and into safe, permanent homes.

The cost to give a kid a CASA volunteer is $135 a year. That’s just $11.25 per month.

Who can be an advocate? You must:

• Be age 21 or older.
• Submit an application, no special background is required.
• Consent to criminal background and child abuse registry checks.
• Complete a 30-hour training course.
• Commit to help a child for at least one year.
• Attend 12 hours of in-service training after taking a case

Carleen Jones, the executive director of CASA of St. Landry, has worked tirelessly to ensure that no child is left behind. She can be seen in the community sharing the need for sponsors.

According to Jones, there are many stories to tell.

Yet, Jones is very optimistic that the Opelousas community has support in supplying for the needs of children.

It is hoped that more people will share their time and resources.

The requirements are easy to fulfill, for love for children and a desire to make their lives better are the key ingredients.

Jones can be reach a 948-3550. Learn more at www. casastlandry.org.

Stella Thomas is principal of the Magnet Academy of Cultural Arts in Opelousas and a long-time contributor to the Daily World. Her column appears Sundays.

Source: http://www.dailyworld.com/article/20100207/NEWS01/2070324

GLOBAL SUPPORT NETWORK FORMING ON SoACT! TO MOVE REACH 4 FREEDOM: HEAL CHILD ABUSE MUSIC PROJECT FORWARD

The “Reach 4 Freedom: Heal Child Abuse Music Project” is now a participant in The Social Action ! Network (SoAct!). SoAct! was created to help people fulfill their Higher Purpose by integrating the best of social media networks like Facebook and Twitter with the intent to support any individual, organization, or business social action purpose, mission, cause, dream, campaign, intent, or calling.

“Reach 4 Freedom” is established as a GROUP on SoAct! to gather supporters in a central location from which to share ideas and solutions to meet the goals of this project, engage members as a *street* team to receive specific assignments to achieve this project’s goals, and to generate more energy through the power of intent, prayer, and attraction in yet another format for healing answers and solutions to child abuse.

CLICK HERE to learn more about and join SoAct!

NEXT STEPS after joining SoAct!
1. Send a Request to Connect to Creator’s Parrot
2. Join the “Reach 4 Freedom: Heal Child Abuse Music Project”

So what are you waiting for?. . . So Act already!

Thank you to all who are joining and committing to making this healing dream a reality!