April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month

Apr 14, 2009

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

213 Children Died in Fiscal Year 2008 Due to Abuse

Governor Rick Perry proclaims April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, saying “Every responsible person will agree that one abused child is too many. Yet our state’s child protection caseloads are evidence of the shameful fact that child abuse is a widespread issue in Texas”. 

Sadly, 213 children died in Texas from abuse or neglect at the hands of their parents, guardians or caregivers in 2008. More than 83,000 separate allegations of abuse or neglect were confirmed by Child Protective Services (CPS), a division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), including:

• 50,310 confirmed allegations of neglectful supervision.
• 14, 858 confirmed allegations of physical abuse.
• 7,714 confirmed allegations of physical neglect.
• 6,468 confirmed allegations of sexual abuse.
• 2,235 confirmed allegations of medical neglect.

More than 14,000 children had to be removed from their homes in 2008 because of abuse or neglect.

To help combat and draw attention to the problem of child abuse and neglect, DFPS distributed 500,000 calendars filled with parenting tips called “The Parenting Toolkit: Building Strong Families.”

DFPS began distributing the colorful calendars (375,000 in English, 125,000 in Spanish) in the fall of 2008. Each calendar contains useful parenting tips on issues like preventing tantrums, teaching respect, and performing CPR. The calendars, endorsed by the Texas Pediatric Society and Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, were sent to non-profit agencies, day-cares, churches, community child welfare boards, and schools.

Anyone can download the calendar and learn how to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect at www.itsuptoyou.org.

“As a mother, I know parenting is both rewarding and difficult. That’s why it’s so important to give parents the tools they need to cope with the stresses of parenthood,” says DFPS Commissioner Anne Heiligenstein. “Yet, we all have a responsibility to stop child abuse. I urge all Texans to learn the signs of abuse and neglect and to report it when they see it”.

Throughout the month of April, DFPS is participating in more than 100 events statewide.

To report child abuse or neglect, call 911 (if a life-threatening emergency) or the 24-hour Texas Abuse/Neglect Hotline, 1-800-252-5400. Reports also can be made to www.txabusehotline.org.

More DFPS statistics for 2008 can be viewed at www.dfps.state.tx.us.