Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting Outreach Program Off to a Strong Start

The Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting Community Outreach Program was implemented in January 2014, after six months of planning by a work group that included Family, Youth, and Children’s Services (FY&C) and the California Parenting Institute. The vision of this program is to strategically outreach to community partners to provide information and education on preventing, identifying, and reporting child abuse, and the services and resources offered by FY&C. The program’s goals are to spread awareness about child abuse prevention and intervention, and to provide community partners with the tools and resources they need to play an active role in preventing child maltreatment.

Since January, 27 mandated reporter trainings have been provided to over 400 participants, using newly redeveloped training curriculum and materials. Trainings have taken place at nine schools, two police departments, and sixteen community agencies. There are several versions of the training, customized specifically for professional participants working in a variety of fields.

Upcoming collaborative outreach efforts include partnering with the Sheriff’s Department to provide training to over 60 sheriff deputies in October 2014, along with an additional ten mandated reporter trainings scheduled for sheriff deputies in 2015. Trainings for Sonoma County schools are being scheduled for August and September 2014; the FY&C Speakers Bureau will be deployed for this effort, as many school districts have shown great interest. Future trainings also include FY&C-contracted therapists, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program professionals, medical professionals, and other community partners and agencies.