Events to raise abuse awareness

CASA of the High Plains is encouraging everyone to wear blue this Friday, April 7, as part of Community Wide Go Blue Day to support child abuse awareness.

The event coincides with CASA Day at the Clarendon Outpost where individuals can learn more about being a CASA volunteer and precedes the annual Chance Mark Jones Roar ‘N Run 5K to raise child abuse awareness.

When a child enters the foster care system because his or her home is no longer safe, a judge may appoint a committed volunteer to help them. That volunteer is called a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA.

CASA continues to provide valuable volunteer advocacy for every abused child in this area. CASA volunteers serve as the “eyes and ears” for the judge in child welfare cases. This includes researching each child’s situation and making objective recommendations to help them reclaim their childhoods from abuse and neglect. CASA volunteers are frequently the only stable presence in these children’s lives as they navigate the foster care system.

These volunteers bring three critical qualities to their work: they focus on one case at a time; they bring a unique perspective to the court case; and their sole objective is representing the best interests of the child.

A second CASA Day will be held in Pampa at the Plaza Restaurant on April 13, and then on April 15 Cinema4 in Pampa will be partnering with CASA and The Pampa Child Welfare Board to offer a free showing of the movie Boss Baby 10:30. Tickets will be available for the first 300 people.

On April 30, CASA asks everyone to participate in National Blue Sunday for churches to take a moment of prayer for children who are victims of child abuse.

Last year, according to Texas Child Protective Services, nearly 60,000 Texas children were abused or neglected. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

Children of all backgrounds can be victims of abuse. It’s a problem that spans all ages, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Children ages 4–7 and 12–15 are most likely to be physically abused, but very young children are the most vulnerable to serious injuries as a result of child abuse.

If you do find yourself frustrated and angry at your child, please try the following to avoid hurting them:

• Take a deep breath and count to 20 slowly.
• Put your child in a safe place and WALK AWAY. The crib is usually a good choice for children who have not yet learned to climb out. For older children, walk out of the room but remain within hearing range to make sure the child is safe.
• Now that your child is safe, take the time you need to calm down. This could just be a couple of minutes. If you need more time, reach out to a family member or friend to babysit for a while. Let them know how upset you are and that you need some help.
• Call for help! Never be afraid to call for help. Reach out to family, friends, your church, or a trusted adult. If you can’t get help and feel like you might hurt your child, call 911. They will help make sure you and your child are safe.
• Get rest. We are NOT at our best when we are over-tired and over-stressed.

Child abuse prevention should be the shared responsibility of every community member. The Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT) offers the following advice to help prevent child abuse in our state.