Prevent Child Abuse Howard County

Working to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect in Howard County

The Child Abuse Prevention program of the Family Service Association is available to provide (at no cost) the following services to any community organization, school, church, or daycare:

Child Safety Programs
Parent Education Programs
Presentations on Child Abuse and Neglect
Presentations on Shaken Infant Syndrome
In-services for School and Daycare Personnel
Educational Materials

Philosophy

Child Abuse Prevention of Family Service Association is organized in the belief that no child should be abused or neglected. Therefore, child abuse and neglect should be prevented before the pain has been inflicted.

Goals

Promote community awareness and community education regarding child abuse and neglect. Coordinate through Prevent Child Abuse Howard County the prevention efforts in the county. Encourage and develop new programs and services to prevent child abuse.

What is Child Abuse?

Physical

Non-accidental physical injury to a child.

Examples include: severe beatings, burns, human bites, shaking, strangulation, and immersion in scalding water.

Sexual

The fondling, sexual intercourse, or using a child in the production of child pornographic material.

Emotional

A pattern of behavior that attacks a child’s emotional development and sense of self-worth.

Examples include constant criticizing, belittling, insulting, rejecting, and providing no love, support or guidance.

Neglect

Failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life-food, clothing, shelter, medical care, supervision, and education.

If you believe you have seen child abuse, you may call Indiana’s Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline:

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Toll Free

1 (800) 800-5556

Where?

ANYWHERE!

Poor, middle-class, well-to-do homes.

In rural areas, suburbs and cities.

Why?

Many abusers were abused themselves, and have some of the following problems:

Lack of parenting knowledge
Have drug or alcohol problems
Have financial, job, or legal problems
Have unmet emotional needs
Have a prolonged stressful situation

Prevent Child Abuse Howard County History

Family Service Association was a leader in the development of the Howard County Child Abuse Prevention Task Force and remains the sponsoring agency for the program today.

The Howard County Child Abuse Prevention Council was built on the groundwork laid over five years by the Howard County Child Abuse Prevention Task Force. The Council for Prevention of Child Abuse was formed on April 6, 1989. The name was changed to Prevent Child Abuse in Howard County on February 17, 2000. It is an affiliate of the state chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana, as well as the national organization.

Prevent Child Abuse Howard County has six committees: