Monday, December 17, 2012
Children's Exposure to Violence
The Attorney General's Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence has released its final recommendations for a national response to address children’s exposure to violence. The Report emphasizes prevention and intervention and underscores the importance of trauma-informed care and victim-tailored services. You can access the Report at http://www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood/cev-rpt-full.pdf
Child Abuse on the Decrease Nationwide
The latest annual report released last week from the Department of Health and Human Services found that reports of child abuse and neglect have dropped nationwide for the fifth consecutive year. This is an important report that can be accessed at
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2012/12/fewer-child-abuse-and-neglect-incidents-for-fifth-straight-year
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2012/12/fewer-child-abuse-and-neglect-incidents-for-fifth-straight-year
HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY TO FEEL SAFE
HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY TO FEEL SAFE
The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), in collaboration with the School Safety Resource Center, is disseminating this resource bulletin based on the recent elementary school massacre in Newton, Connecticut.
Helping Children Feel Safe
Home and school environments provide important normalizing experiences for children and adolescents. The magnitude of death and destruction in traumatic events require special attention and communication with children. The following suggestions may help children feel safe:
Limit exposure to television and other sources of information about the disaster and its victims, especially for children.
Understand that every child has a different way of responding to traumatic events. Listen to their stories and be tolerant.
Be alert to changes in a child’s usual behavior - drop in grades, loss of interest, not doing homework, increased sleepiness or distraction, isolating themselves and weight changes.
Maintain daily routines to the extent possible. Familiar schedules can be reassuring.
Remind students that they are safe at school and at home.
Increase students’ sense of control and mastery at school. Let students plan a special activity.
An adult’s response to a disaster will affect the student’s response; it is helpful to discuss reactions with other adults and teachers before talking with children.
Provide structured time to discuss the event.
Encourage school faculty and staff to discuss and plan classroom interventions together and review emergency procedures.
Be available to meet individually with children.
Discuss the event in an open honest manner with students.
Children, like adults, often want to help in times of crises. Finding a way to support the victims and their families through the appropriate agencies can be beneficial to children’s healing.
Law Enforcement can help their communities to feel safer by providing extra patrol and visibility in and around educational institutions. Officers can make their presence known in and around the schools where they patrol. Officers can stop by the schools and introduce themselves to the administrative staff and choose a school parking lot to write reports to help maintain a safe environment.
Resources
Colorado School Safety Resource Center: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPS-SafeSchools/CBON/1251621089752
Colorado School Safety Resource Center (Recovery):
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPS-SafeSchools/CBON/1251622852906
The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), in collaboration with the School Safety Resource Center, is disseminating this resource bulletin based on the recent elementary school massacre in Newton, Connecticut.
Helping Children Feel Safe
Home and school environments provide important normalizing experiences for children and adolescents. The magnitude of death and destruction in traumatic events require special attention and communication with children. The following suggestions may help children feel safe:
Limit exposure to television and other sources of information about the disaster and its victims, especially for children.
Understand that every child has a different way of responding to traumatic events. Listen to their stories and be tolerant.
Be alert to changes in a child’s usual behavior - drop in grades, loss of interest, not doing homework, increased sleepiness or distraction, isolating themselves and weight changes.
Maintain daily routines to the extent possible. Familiar schedules can be reassuring.
Remind students that they are safe at school and at home.
Increase students’ sense of control and mastery at school. Let students plan a special activity.
An adult’s response to a disaster will affect the student’s response; it is helpful to discuss reactions with other adults and teachers before talking with children.
Provide structured time to discuss the event.
Encourage school faculty and staff to discuss and plan classroom interventions together and review emergency procedures.
Be available to meet individually with children.
Discuss the event in an open honest manner with students.
Children, like adults, often want to help in times of crises. Finding a way to support the victims and their families through the appropriate agencies can be beneficial to children’s healing.
Law Enforcement can help their communities to feel safer by providing extra patrol and visibility in and around educational institutions. Officers can make their presence known in and around the schools where they patrol. Officers can stop by the schools and introduce themselves to the administrative staff and choose a school parking lot to write reports to help maintain a safe environment.
Resources
Colorado School Safety Resource Center: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPS-SafeSchools/CBON/1251621089752
Colorado School Safety Resource Center (Recovery):
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPS-SafeSchools/CBON/1251622852906
Monday, December 10, 2012
December Happenings
December 11th- Abuse & Neglect court
December 13th- New CASA volunteers "Swearing In"-8:30 a.m. at the Courthouse
December 14th- Court for TPR's
December 18th- Foster Kids Christmas Store at CASA 9:00 a.m.
December 19th- Brown Bag Christmas Luncheon at noon
December 21st- Staff Christmas Party-Office closed
December 25th- Merry Christmas!
The CASA office will be closed from Thursday, December 21st and will reopen on Wednesday, January 2nd.
(If there is an emergency a CASA employee will be available.)
Monday, December 3, 2012
Best Practices for the Safety of Children and Those Who Work with Them
Best Practices for the Safety of Children and Those Who Work with Them
This article includes a section on volunteers and case-workers.
This article includes a section on volunteers and case-workers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)