April Pinwheel Garden

Our hearts are broken for sweet Aniya of Euclid, who’s life was lost last month due to child abuse.

We as a community have a responsibility to all children-  to do all we can to provide support that prevents abuse; to report signs of abuse to appropriate agencies; and to hold those agencies accountable.

Below please keep scrolling below the photos of our Awareness Program for important Ohio programs and resources.

 

ESLC National Child Abuse Prevention Month Awareness Program

 

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

from https://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/reportchildabuseandneglect.stm

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has launched 855-O-H-CHILD (855-642-4453), an automated telephone directory that will link callers directly to a child welfare or law enforcement office in their county.  Reports can be anonymous.

What information do I need to make a report?

  • The name and address of the child you suspect is being abused or neglected
    The age of the child
    The name and address of the parents or caretakers
    The name of the person you suspect is abusing or neglecting the child and the address if available
    The reason you suspect the child is being abuse and neglected
    Any other information which may be helpful to the investigation
    You have the option of giving your name or reporting anonymously. Giving your name can help the investigator clarify information. The agency will not give your name to the person suspected of abusing the child.

Please Note: All of the above information is not needed to make a report. If you are not sure you have enough information to report, always err on the safety of the child. Children services screens all reports to determine if there is enough information to investigate. 

 

 

Studies reviewed suggest that 40% or more of child maltreatment might be prevented.

Report from the Ohio Commission on the Prevention of Injury

 

 

Ohio Programs

from Ohio Dept of Public Safety Report at http://www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/child%20maltreatment.pdf

Child Protective Services
administered under the Ohio Department of Job & Family
Services, is required to investigate and assess reports of maltreatment and intervene
when necessary to protect children who are at risk. A comprehensive assessment of
risk is required on all reports of abuse and neglect. Investigations on new reports must
be initiated within 24 hours.

Family Violence Prevention Center (FVPC)
administered by the Office of Criminal
Justice Services, is an information clearinghouse for public and private organizations in
Ohio that strive to prevent family violence and provide assistance to victims. The FVPC
organizes and conducts workshops and presentations, facilitates inter-agency
collaboration, educates law enforcement and the criminal justice professionals, and
collects and disseminates data. The FVPC implements a collective response to child
maltreatment and domestic violence.

Ohio Help Me Grow
administered by the Ohio Department of Health, is a program
that provides prenatal services and newborn home visits along with information about
child development. The program helps families with young children connect with
resources they need. The program provides service coordination and ongoing
specialized services to those families that are eligible. Each county has an intake and
referral contact.

Prevent Child Abuse Ohio
housed at Columbus Children’s Hospital, seeks to prevent
the abuse and neglect of Ohio’s children by creating an effective statewide coalition.
Goals of the program include: establishing relationships on a statewide basis with the
goal of enhancing the availability and effectiveness of prevention services; providing
statewide support for effective home visitation programs; collecting and disseminating
best practice child abuse prevention program information; serving as an educational
resource for professionals; and serving in a leadership role to advocate for key child
abuse prevention related legislation. Services provided include a parenting hotline, a
mentoring program for young women to enhance self-esteem and decision-making
skills, a resource library, Shaken Baby Syndrome Educational Outreach, professional
education for health, mental health and education, child protective and child care
professionals, and parent/community based education.

Public Children Services Association of Ohio
(PCSAO) is a private nonprofit association of
the county public children services agencies and departments of job and family services
agencies charged with preventing child abuse and neglect in Ohio.

Programs in Ohio Children’s Hospitals
1. Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron: CARE (Children At Risk Evaluation) Center –
averages 850 patients a year
2. Cincinnati Children’s – Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children

3. The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton – CARE (Child Abuse Review and Evaluation) clinic
4. Columbus Children’s Hospital – Center for Child Advocacy
5. Rainbow Babies – Child Witness Program