April is Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention Month
By Mary Jane Farmer, for the Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town
NOTE: Having been both a licensed foster care provider and a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children, this reporter has seen multiple horrifying cases of child abuse and how it affects the victims. This subject holds near and dear to my heart!
This display sets in Dorothy Fielder Park, downtown. The sign says, “These flags represent the confirmed victims of child abuse in Grayson County last year. This number does not include law enforcement cases of abuse in which Child Protective Services is not active.”
April is designated as Child Abuse and Awareness Month all around Grayson County. In 2021, CPS handled 365 confirmed abuse cases in Grayson County.
Some signs one can watch for include, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Physical — bruising, cuts, or broken bones;
- Withdrawal from friends or usual activities;
- Changes in behavior, such as aggression, anger, hostility or hyperactivity, school performance;
- Depression, anxiety, unusual fears, sudden loss of self-confidence;
- Neglect, an apparent lack of supervision;
- Frequent absences from school;
- Self-harm, including attempts at running away;
- Medical abuse, putting the child at risk of injury or unnecessary medical care.
There are so many other signs, and one can go online to www.mayoclinic.org for a more complete list.
Locally, the Children’s Advocacy Center is selling T-shirts, blue with designs created by Grayson County kids. The money raised goes to purchase materials helpful with prevention. To view those and purchase one, Click Online here cacgc.gov. The Texas abuse hot line’s phone number to call to report child abuse is 800-252-5400. The CAC’s Website also suggests that anyone can report the suspected abuse to local law enforcement agencies; in this case Van Alstyne Police Department, 903-482-5251.
Category: Van Alstyne News
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