Transcript Child Protective Services

A Prayer for Children
Ina Hughes
Child Abuse
The Role of the School
Clara Cáceres Contreras, B.S., M.Ed., C.P.S, I.CPS
Certified Prevention Specialist
School Health/Safe Schools
Region One Education Service Center
956-984-6125
[email protected]
www.esc1.net/schoolhealth
Risk Factors Criminal Behavior
 14% of all men in prison in the USA were abused
as children
 36% of all women in prison were abused as
children
 Children who experience child abuse & neglect are
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59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile
28% more likely to be arrested as an adult
30% more likely to commit violent crime
Risk Factors Substance Abuse
 Two-thirds cases involve substance use
 Children whose parents abuse alcohol & other drugs
are three times more likely to be abused & four
times more likely to be neglected than children from
non-abusing families
 Two-thirds of the people in treatment for
drug abuse reported being abused or neglected as
children
Risk Factors Consequences
 Abused children are 25% more
likely to experience teen
pregnancy
 Abused teens are less likely to
practice safe sex, putting them at
greater risk for STDs
CONFIRMED CPS VICTIMS & INVESTIGATIONS 2010
County
Child
Confirmed Victims of
Child Abuse/ Neglect
Confirmed Victims of Child
Abuse/ Neglect per 1000
Children
Cameron
133,737
1,970
14.7
Hidalgo
253,765
2,593
10.2
Jim Hogg
1,464
76
51.9
Starr
23,913
255
10.7
Webb
89,516
744
8.3
Willacy
6,681
155
23.2
Zapata
4,635
90
19.4
State Total
6,584,709
66,897
10.2
CONFIRMED CPS VICTIMS & INVESTIGATIONS 2012
County
Child Population
Confirmed Victims of
Child Abuse/ Neglect
Confirmed Victims of Child
Abuse/ Neglect per 1000
Children %
Cameron
137,876
1,819
13.2
Hidalgo
276,110
2,685
9.7
Jim Hogg
1,515
45
29.7
Starr
20,668
216
10.5
Webb
90,260
903
10
Willacy
5,958
151
25.3
Zapata
4,920
70
14.2
State Total
7,054,634
64,366
9.1
Role of the School
Texas Education Code 38.004
CHILD ABUSE REPORTING AND PROGRAMS
Each school district shall adopt the policy. (a-1) The agency
shall:
(1) maintain on the agency Internet website a list of links to
websites that provide information regarding the prevention
of child abuse; and
(2) develop and periodically update a training program on
prevention of child abuse that a school district may use for
staff development.
(b) Each school district shall provide child abuse antivictimization programs in elementary and secondary
schools.
Role of the School
Texas Education Code 38.0041
Policies Addressing Sexual Abuse & Other
Maltreatment of Children
(a) Each school district shall include in the district
improvement plan under Section 11.252 and any handbook
provided to students and parents.
(b) A policy must address: (1) methods for increasing staff,
student, & parent awareness regarding sexual abuse & other
maltreatment of children, including prevention techniques &
knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may
be a victim of sexual abuse or other maltreatment
(2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual abuse or other
maltreatment should take to obtain assistance and
intervention; and
Role of the School
Texas Education Code 38.0041
(3) available counseling options for students
affected by sexual abuse or other maltreatment.
(c) The methods for increasing awareness of issues
regarding sexual abuse and other maltreatment of
children must include training
The training:
(1) must be provided, as part of a new employee
orientation
(2) may be provided annually
Role of the School
Texas Education Code 38.0041
(3) must include training concerning:
(A) factors indicating a child is at risk
(B) likely warning signs;
(C) internal procedures for seeking assistance for a child
(D) techniques for reducing a child's the risk
(E) community organizations that have relevant existing
research-based programs that are able to provide training
or other education
(d) Each school district shall maintain records that include
the name of staff member who participated in the training.
(e) District shall work with a community organization to
provide the training at no cost to the district or charter
school.
SB 939
Child Abuse
 In Section 38.004, The Agency is required to develop a
policy governing the reports of child abuse or neglect in
which each district is required to report child abuse
 Section 38.0041,requires the agency to develop a schedule
by agency rule such that all district school employees take
the training concerning prevention techniques for the
recognition of sexual abuse and other maltreatment of
children.
 38.0042, requires each public school and open
enrollment charter school to post the child abuse hotline
telephone number. The commissioner may adopt rules
relating to the size and location of the sign.
 Action required for 2013-14 School Year: Develop a
schedule for training and create/amend Commissioner
Rules. Effective Date: September 1, 2013
Responsibility to Report
 Person reporting does not need to be certain
that child is being abused or neglected, only to
have a reason for believing
 Any time a child discloses abuse to an adult, the
adult has reason to make a report
 If professional thinks a child has been or may be
abused or neglected, he/she must report within
48 hours
 Professionals may not delegate or rely on
another to make report
Responsibility to Report
 Child’s physical/mental health/welfare has
been or may be adversely affected by abuse or
neglect
 Must report the case immediately to a law
enforcement agency or CPS
 Failure to report suspected child abuse or
neglect is a Class B Misdemeanor
Types of Child Abuse?
Sexually
Physically
Neglect
Emotionally
Child Abuse
Texas Education Agency
RESOURCES
HTTP://WWW.TEA.STATE.TX.US/CHILDABUSE.HTML
TRAINING VIDEO
HTTP://WWW.DFPS.STATE.TX.US/TRAINING/REPORTI
NG/DEFAULT.ASP
TRAINING VIDEO
https://www.oag.state.tx.us/media/videos/play.ph
p?image=childabuse&id=105
CPS Investigation
Reports are assigned priority that determines time
frames for starting investigation (based on report)
 Priority I: Immediate risk for abuse/neglect that
could cause death or serious harm
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Must start investigation within 24 hours of initial report
 Priority II: Includes all reports not classified as
Priority I
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Investigation must start within 10 days of initial report
 Other reports that do not meet definition of abuse or
neglect (as defined by Family Code) are not assigned
CPS Investigation
Staff must assign a disposition to each accusation for
investigation:
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Reason to Believe: abuse has occurred
Ruled Out: no abuse has occurred based on evidence
Unable to Complete: conclusion cannot be made because
family – 1) could not be found; 2) would not cooperate
During the Disclosure
 Avoid denial
 Document exact quotes
 Provide a safe
 Be supportive, not
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environment
Reassure the child
Listen and don’t make
assumptions
Do not Interrogate
Make no promises
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judgmental
Respect the child’s privacy
Have an understanding
about abuse and neglect
Seek advise
Report any suspicion of child
abuse & neglect
Remember, it is the responsibility of adults to take action &
keep children safe
Working with Kids
 Tell them it’s not their fault!!!
 Let them know you’re glad they told
 Do not promise confidentiality
 Encourage, don’t force talking
Report
1-800-252-5400
Emergency 911
Protective Factors Framework
 Nurturing and Attachment
 Knowledge of Parenting and Child
Development
 Parental Resilience
 Social Connections
 Concrete Support for Parents
 Social and Emotional Competence of
Children
Protective Factors: School
 Success at school
 Positive relationships with one or more teachers
 Positive relationships with peers
 Strong bond with positive others (School nurse?)
 Nurturing and supportive school climate
 Conditions that foster feelings of competence, self-
determination, and connectedness
 http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/Sampler/Resilien
cy/resilien.pdf
Child Abuse Prevention Curriculum
Speak Up Be Safe - 1st – 6th grade
http://www.speakupbesafe.org/child_abuse_preventi
on_curriculum.html
We Help Ourselves – Pre-K – 12
Anti-Victimization Education
http://www.wehelpourselves.org/who/en/parents/cur
riculum.aspx
Agency Resources
 Avance, Family Support, RGV, 956-618-1642; Laredo, 956-728-1600
 Buckner Children & Family Services, Services for At Risk Youth (STAR)
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956-423-7909, Hidalgo, Cameron & Starr Counties
Casa de Misericordia, 1-877-782-2722 Jim Hogg, Webb, Zapata Counties
Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, (CASA), 956-381-HOLD
Family Crisis Center, Harlingen (956) 423-9304; Raymondville(956) 6895250
Lamar Rooney Vergada Ctr., Laredo, Tx, 956-726-0151, Jim Hogg, Webb,
Zapata Counties
Serving Children and Adolescents in Need, Inc, (SCAN), Laredo, 956-7245111; Pharr , 956-782-9453
Rio Grande Valley Council, Inc., PHARR, 956-787-7111, OSAR (Counseling)
South Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Laredo, 956-284-2150
Tip of Texas Family Outreach Services, Brownsville, 956-541-5566
Valley AIDS Council , Harlingen, TX; 956-428-9322
Woman Together/Mujeres Unidas, 1-800-580-4879
Call 211 for information on anything you need!