A message from the Director
During the past few months we've heard a great deal in the media about child abuse: a baby shaken to death; Amber Alerts; family violence destroying children's families; a murdered child; predators on the internet; young people vanishing. "Child abuse" brings physical abuse to mind since it leaves a visible mark. Although other forms of abuse may not damage the body, they leave an emotional scar. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, enduring neglect and other traumas are hurtful, insidious, hard to identify and can occur a long time before being detected. They, too, cause enduring changes in self-esteem and ability to interact with others. No single approach will prevent all these tragedies.

In April, Child Abuse Prevention Month gave our region a glimpse at facts. Vigils, PSA's, TV and radio appearances, newspapers, billboards and banners, editorials, mailings, and presentations to officials, widely presented the facts. Education of signs of abuse, and access to help for families improves safety and prevents or reduces abuse or neglect. Today's F&CF offers a host of services that help avert and treat such problems.

The F&CF Board has approved a strategic plan to strengthen and expand how we address this and other challenges facing families. It will position us to confront and solve community and family issues by embracing changing family needs and demographics, engaging our community to focus on families' needs and forging strategic alliances and partnerships to best serve area families.

In this Family Matters, we will focus on a very real issue for many children – child abuse. In the next issue, we will examine how F&CF will tackle it and other challenges. Through out the year we will invite your interest, concern, support and participation in developing solutions.

Dan Fox
Executive Director

Protecting One Family
Sometimes, statistics are hard to imagine. Yet, if we look closely at a child’s life, a picture really emerges. At our Child Advocacy Center, stories similar to the one that follows are common: Amy had seen more hardship in just 14 years of life than anyone should in a lifetime. She could not recall a time when her mom had not abused alcohol or crack cocaine or been in and out of rehab. Stability at home did not exist. At times, she didn’t have food to eat. When her mother was unable to take care of her, Amy stayed with relatives or in foster Dan Fox

2303 River Road, Suite 200 • Louisville, KY 40206 • www.familyandchildrenfirst.org homes. When her younger sister, 9 year old Elizabeth was born, Amy found herself taking care of her. Her mother’s boyfriend, Ricky, drank a great deal and would become violent. She would go to bed fearing that her mom could be seriously hurt. She would frequently lay awake at night worrying and be too tired to go to school. Sometimes, Amy had to stay home from school to take care of her mom. At an age when friends mean a lot, Amy had no close ones, too afraid and embarrassed to even bring them home.

Ricky started to molest Amy at age eight - older than many of the kids we see. She didn’t tell anyone because of his threats. She hated going to sleep, never knowing if Ricky would sneak in her room to do “bad things.” This went on for four years and only when Amy learned he was beginning to sexually abuse Elizabeth, did she tell anyone. Our Child Advocacy Center exists for children like these. When a report occurs, we figure out what happened, determine medical or mental health problems, and make sure children are safe. Amy still has bad dreams and trouble trusting people, but now talks to her counselor. Safe at last, both she and her sister - and their mom are recovering. Do you know someone like Amy? If so, call the Child Abuse Hotline at 595-4550.

Scope of child abuse and neglect
It is important to know the extent of this problem. Child maltreatment includes all neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Maltreatment was substantiated for more than 47,588 children in Kentucky and Indiana in 2005 (Kids Count, Indiana and Kentucky TWIST data). In Jefferson and surrounding Kentucky and Indiana counties, 5,500 reports were substantiated among fairly equal numbers of males and females. Sadly, 91 children died from child abuse in these states. Young children were at greatest risk, 52% being under age eight, nationwide. Because of the physical impact of neglect and abuse on them, 86% of fatalities occurred to children under only six years of age. In the U.S., child neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment and is the basis of the majority of fatalities. No social, racial, or economic group is immune. An estimate of the cost of abuse and neglect in America is $258 million per day for medical help, hospital care, child welfare, mental heath and social services, and law enforcement resources

Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect

Prevent Child Abuse America offers information on its web site, www.preventchildabuse.org, that can help anyone intervene. Under “Recognizing Child Abuse,” highlights of the article include:

Neglect

• Change in behavior/school performance
• Lack of care for physical/medical issues
• Begs or steals food or money from peers
• Consistently dirty, lacks sufficient clothing
• States nobody is caring for child at home

Physical Abuse

• Observed burns, bruises, broken bones
• Learning problems not related to a cause
• Overly compliant, driven, or responsible
• Protests or cries when time to go home
• Child is frequently absent from school

Sexual Abuse

• Child exhibits difficulty walking or sitting
• Has bizarre or unusual sexual behavior
• Cautiously preparing for something bad
• Begins to abuse alcohol or other drugs
• Child runs away or reports being abused

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

We have a moral and often a legal obligation to intervene if abuse or neglect is suspected. Children, despite learning inappropriate adult behavior, can not protect themselves. In more than 90% of cases, perpetrators of abuse are known and trusted by a child. Abuse is difficult for a child to report. In the case of sexual abuse, fear of disclosing abuseby one’s family, coach, neighbor, teacher, caregiver, relative, etc. is high. We, as adults, can and should ask the appropriate agency to explore the situation. Kentucky’s hotline number is 1-800-752-6200. In Indiana, call police or your county’s Child & Family Service Department.

Treatment and prevention

One of the most effective means of dealing with child abuse and neglect is prevention. Healthy Families and HANDS are model programs used statewide to identify and offer voluntary services to first time parents and their infants or toddlers who are at high risk of having serious difficulties.

Family & Children First provides Jefferson County these in-home services in partnership with Louisville Metro Health Department. Necessary skills are taught to parents so they can provide nurturing, medical care, mental health, and early literacy for their children. What are the results? They are less likely to abuse their children, and more likely to get needed medical care for them than other average parents in the community. .

When parents feel they are losing control, parents can take a deep breath, count to 10, and then decide if they or their child needs to take a time out. If this doesn’t solve the situation, parents can call the Parent’s Helpline of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky at 1-800-432-9251.

Family & Children First offers a wide range of counseling and community services throughout Kentuckiana.

Continuing to care

As we move into the 2007 Fiscal Year, we will continue to prevent and find solutions for child abuse. The agency recently added a service for children being removed from their home due to abuse or neglect. As families overcome the problems that caused separation, an opportunity exists for a child to return home. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Department for Community Based Services contracted with F&CF to provide in-home assessments of families at risk of losing their children to help determine if a child can return home.

Child Abuse Prevention Month Vigil

On April 11, F&CF held its 3rd Annual Vigil at Jefferson Square Park. Backed by images of children, Dan Fox, our Executive Director, spoke about “The True Face of Child Abuse.” Many view abuse as only happening in a poor family, with an angry, perhaps alcoholic parent. This is far from true. We see victims from all zip codes and neighborhoods in this region! Rashmi Adi-Brown, Director of Programs and Prevention Services, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, added child abuse is not temporary. It affects the victim long afterward, causing depression and anger. As adults, survivors may turn to alcohol, drugs or food to deal with feelings, or perpetrate abuse, continuing the cycle and harming other children.

The good news is that victims of child abuse are resilient, and with intervention, the cycle can be broken. Fox urged the audience to help every child to feel safe, healthy, loved, cared for and respected. He encouraged everyone to support organizations that address abuse. You can learn warning signs, offer support to friends or neighbors, and in your own families, become nurturing parents.

A challenge to help NOW!

Grants from numerous foundations, provided to strengthen the agency’s New Parent Support, Child Advocacy Center and other services, are listed elsewhere. They represent part of funding needed to maintain services. Our 2006 Spring Annual Campaign Appeal asked donors who did not yet renew their gifts to respond to a $25,000 challenge from several faithful, very generous supporters. Individual gifts are highly important since our largest single source of funds – Metro United Way – will be less both this and next year, leaving gaps in support for certain services. Please use the enclosed envelope to make your gift by June 30th. Any increase you might share beyond your previous contribution and all new donations will be doubled (up to the challenge level). For further information on helping, please contact Tanja Eikenboom, 893-3900 x261.

F&CF brings you more

Although copies of Family Matters are already on our web site, we are adding an easier way for you to keep up on agency services and results, public issues affecting families, our events, and ways to help. At www.familyandchildrenfirst.org, simply click to make, pay or view your previous on-line donations, find informative articles, get involved, send news to friends or ask questions.

And, you can now sign up for our new First e-dition web newsletter. Supplementing Family Matters, it is a monthly update on important issues and ways to be involved at F&CF. Many of you care about recent newsworthy developments in family and child wellbeing or positions this organization may take. If you would like to receive this letter, please contact us through the web site or call Cindy Douglas, 893-3900, x260, at any time.

Oscar Night® America Gala

Thanks also goes to other top sponsors - YUM! Brands, AEGON, American Airlines, Bandy Carroll Hellige, Brown-Forman, Humana Military, E.ON U.S. and Neace Lukens Insurance, and to the 30 additional table sponsors in attendance!

We are thrilled Kindred Healthcare will – for a third year - present this grand event in 2007. Save Sunday night, February 25, 2007. Call Ira Goldberg, 893-3900 x262 for details.