Prevent Child Abuse Delaware

Brandywine Springs Elementary School PTO Meeting

October 15, 2015

History

• In 1978, PCAD was incorporated as a nonprofit specializing in treatment programs for children whose lives had been interrupted by some form of child abuse or neglect.• About 12 years ago, after many years of treating

victims, PCAD transitioned to developing and implementing programs that engage families in child abuse prevention.

Mission

To provide resources and training to make sure every child has a safe and nurturing childhood, free of abuse and neglect.

Goals

• Advance the process of social change in our communities.

• Minimize the likelihood that children will be the victims or perpetrators of abuse or violent acts.

• Support parents in their desire to successfully raise their children in safe, nurturing environments that allow children to reach their maximum potential.

Strategies

• Move people from awareness of child abuse and neglect to taking action to prevent it.

• Change norms so that all parents and family members recognize that it is acceptable to seek support and information to enhance parenting skills.

• Use our voice to help break the silence that surrounds child abuse and neglect.

• Increase the public’s engagement with the organization.

• Utilize the Six Protective Factors as the foundation for all of our efforts.

The Six Protective FactorsKey elements for supporting the well-being or children and families

• Promote healthy parent-child relationships• Give your child the love and respect they need

• Build knowledge of parenting and child development• Being a great parent is part natural and part learned

• Enhance parental resilience• Be strong and flexible

• Develop social connections• Parents need friends

• Offer concrete support for parents in times of need• We all need help sometimes

• Foster social and emotional competence of children• Parents need to help their children communicate

*Developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy

PCAD Programs

• Personal Safety Program

• Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

• Stewards of Children Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

• Strengthening Families Program

• Home Visitor Training

• Foster Parent Training

Personal Safety Program• 2014-2015 school year

• 62 schools• 10,671 students• 1,017 school personnel

• Programs for grades PK through 4th

• Conducted in the classroom in multiple sessions, ranging from 30-50 minutes.

• Material is age appropriate and presented in a tasteful and non threatening manner.

• Subject matter includes good/bad touches, safe people, secrets vs. surprises, and all forms of abuse and neglect (age appropriate).

Personal Safety Program

•95% of 2nd graders showed an increase in knowledge after the program. •98% of 3rd graders indicated that they had learned something new from the program. •99% of 4th graders were able to identify safe people after the program.

*pre/post test survey results

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

•1 in 10 children experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday.

•90% of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser.

•25% of abused children are under the age of 3.

•45% of abused children are under the age of 5.

Stewards of Children• Nationally distributed, evidence-based program

proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change child protective behaviors.

• Prevention training program that teaches adults how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

• Designed for organizations that serve youth and for individuals concerned about the safety of children.

• Goal is to educate 35,000 adults in Delaware; to date 16,000 adults have completed training (46%).

Stewards of Children

Two hour program

•Three part DVD presentation

•Interactive workbook

•Facilitator-led discussion

•Online version available

Bullying Prevention

• 17% of students have been bullied at sometime during the school year. • 8% of students have been bullied at least once a

week. • 19% of students have bullied others sometime

during the school year. • 9% of students have bullied other students at

least once a week.

* National study average estimates

Olweus Bullying Prevention ProgramOBBP is the only evidence based, whole-school bullying prevention program that has been proven to prevent or reduce bullying throughout a school setting.

Bullying is defined as:•Aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions. •Typically involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time. •Involves an imbalance of power or strengths.

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program• Goals of the program

• Reduce existing bullying problems among students. • Prevent the development of new bullying problems. • Achieve better peer relations at school.

• Key elements of the program are:• PCAD Liaison• Coordinating committee• Staff training• Student questionnaire• Anonymous assessment to determine the impact of bullying

in the school – who’s involved, when it’s happening, etc.• Classroom meetings

Strengthening Families Program• Offered to childcare centers to help them recognize and respond to

child abuse and neglect:

• Staff training topics• Appropriate and inappropriate sexual play displayed by young children • Handling children’s difficult behaviors• Understanding temperament• Social-emotional intelligence• Building a healthy brain• Diversity in the day care setting

• Build strong relationships with parents based on the six Protective Factors:

• Partnering with Parents Program• Tools, strategies, and support needed to build caring, trusting relationships with parents• Mentors to center staff to assist in onsite skill building • Workshops on building relationships with parents

Home Visitor Training

Wrap-around Training for all Home Visiting organizations in Delaware:

• Early Head Start• Healthy Families America• Nurse-Family Partnership• Parents as Teachers• Help me Grow Call Center Staff

Continuing education, collective goals: • Reduced child injury, abuse, and neglect• Support bonding and attachment• Improve maternal and childhood health and

development• Enhance infant and child development

Foster Parent Training

• 30 hours of pre-service training

• 12 to 20 hours of annual in-service training

• 583 children in Foster Care in Delaware

• 208 Foster Parents in Delaware

Vision for the Future

• Expand our staff

• Invest in our programs

• Broaden our reach into the community

• Increase our presence downstate

How to get involved?• Celebrate April Child Abuse Prevention Month

• Pinwheels for Prevention Program• Wear Blue Day

• Support our Monthly Protective Factor Programs

• Host a Prevention is Possible Meeting

• Join us for our Fall Celebration Event

• Attend our Champions for Children Breakfast

Breaking Down the Numbers$1 = one pinwheel to support statewide pinwheel gardens in Child Abuse Prevention Month

$25 = 25 PA Bear Activity Books for children ages 3 through 5

$50 = One day of in-school Child Abuse Training for PK through 4th grade

$100 = Stewards of Children Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Workshop for 10 adults $500 = Support from PCAD as the Olweus Bullying Program Liaison

Thank you!