Fostering Dreams Foundation Child Abuse Awareness Information CAAW 2021

Fostering Dreams Foundations’ 1st Annual Child Abuse Awareness Walk’s purpose is to enlighten society on child abuse, what Child Protective Services & the Texas Family Code classifies as abuse, adequately define the types of abuse, how to recognize the signs of abuse, how to properly report abuse and 2020 abuse victim statistics.

According to CPS & the Texas Family Code, there are five major types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and refusing to accept parental responsibility. You can spot symptoms of abuse and neglect if you know what to look for. Also remember that a parent’s, caregiver’s, or child’s appearance and behavior may also be a sign.

In the words of the president of Fostering Dreams Foundation, “We have to take care of the children, so that they will take care of the world”. Untreated childhood trauma doesn’t go away when a child becomes an adult, it simply intensifies into adulthood trauma. It is imperative to be a voice for children who cannot, will not or aren’t capable of advocating for themselves.

Some children can’t or won’t cry or ask for help when they need it, even if their lives may be in danger. Thousands of children who suffer abuse and neglect are too young, terrified, or simply confused to tell anyone about it. Their suffering may go unnoticed for years, permanently damaging their development, health, mental health, stifling milestone achievements and worse case scenario, resulting in loss of lives.

If you think someone is hurting or mistreating a child, you MUST act. Child Protective Services (CPS) is a division of The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), which is the agency to call if you suspect abuse or neglect.

Did you know that you can report 24-hours, toll-free by calling the DFPS abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or online from anywhere in the United States to report abuse or neglect that happened in Texas? The identity of the reporter is confidential and is not revealed to anyone but law enforcement, unless disclosure is ordered by a court. Texas law REQUIRES that any person suspecting that a child has been abused or neglected MUST immediately make a report. Failure to report suspected child abuse and neglect is a criminal offense, according to Texas Family Code, Section 261.109.

Lastly, there have been too many child victims! In 2020, there were 336 REPORTED child abuse deaths, 68,461 CONFIRMED child abuse victims, and 16,623 children were RETRAUMATIZED due to CPS receiving subsequent reports after the initial report. Reported, meaning there were more child deaths that were not severe or gruesome enough to make the news or the media, but that did not make them any less a victim or important. Confirmed, meaning there were more children who did not have anyone advocating, being their voice and reporting what they knew or suspected. Retraumatized, meaning having to encounter multiple interviews with CPS staff and fearing the possibility of being removed from their families and placed in foster care.

Physical Abuse

Physical Abuse is physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child. The physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) can result from punching, beating, shaking, kicking, biting, throwing, stabbing, hitting, burning, choking, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child.

Suspect Physical Abuse When You See:

Frequent injuries such as bruises, cuts, black eyes, or burns without adequate explanations
Frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury
Burns or bruises in unusual patterns that may indicate the use of an instrument or human bite; cigarette burns on any part of the body
Lack of reaction to pain
Aggressive, disruptive, and destructive behavior
Passive, withdrawn, and emotionless behavior
Fear of going home or seeing parents
Injuries that appear after a child has not been seen for several days
Unreasonable clothing that may hide injuries to arms or legs

Neglect or Neglectful Supervision

Suspect Neglect When You See:

Obvious malnourishment
Lack of personal cleanliness
Torn or dirty clothing
Stealing or begging for food
Child unattended for long periods of time
Need for glasses, dental care, or other medical attention
Frequent tardiness or absence from school.

Sexual Abuse

Suspect Sexual Abuse When You See:

Physical signs of sexually transmitted diseases
Evidence of injury to the genital area
Pregnancy in a young girl
Difficulty in sitting or walking
Extreme fear of being alone with adults of a certain sex
Sexual comments, behaviors or play
Knowledge of sexual relations beyond what is expected for a child’s age
Sexual victimization of other children
Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in a child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. It includes extreme forms of punishment such as confining a child in a dark closet, habitual scapegoating, belittling, and rejecting treatment for a child.
Suspect Emotional Abuse When You See:
Over compliance
Low self-esteem
Severe depression, anxiety, or aggression
Difficulty making friends or doing things with other children
Lagging in physical, emotional, and intellectual development
Caregiver who belittles the child, withholds love, and seems unconcerned about the child’s problems.

RAPR: Refusal To Accept Parental Responsibility

Children who have been abandoned by and isolated from their families. Meaning their families have refused to assume responsibility, for the child, after being discharged from Juvenile and or a Psychiatric Facility. It also includes parents and or caregivers who bring their child to the CPS office and relinquish their parental or custodial rights and responsibilities.