Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) and its community partners are collaborating to raise awareness and educate the public in honor of April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month.
DCS and its partners work to provide support for communities through preventive programs for families, including Healthy Families Indiana and Community Partners for Child Safety.
DCS also opened family resource centers in Wayne, Tippecanoe, Clark, La Porte and Elkhart counties in the past six months.
These centers are designed to allow easy access to a range of services and supports, including tutoring, notary services, parent trainings, tax preparation and other resources to help increase protective factors and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 618,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment in the U.S. last year.
“Child safety is our number one goal,” DCS Director Eric Miller said. “For DCS, this month is all about increasing awareness of the things that put children at risk so that families and communities can better protect them and prevent abuse and neglect.”
Anyone who suspects a child has been neglected or abused should call the Indiana Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-800-5556.
For more information and resources on preventing child abuse and neglect, visit in.gov/dcs/prevention/.
Free resources for families
Wayne County’s new Family Resource Center is at 714 N. 12th St. in Richmond. Typical hours are noon-5 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, noon-5:30 p.m. Thursdays, and Fridays by appointment.
A program is planned nearly every day. April’s programs include a family dinner and craft activities, parent meals, a baby shower, giveaway of safe sleep items, and a story time.
Free items and services always available during open hours include take-and-make meals, child safety and hygiene products, Wi-Fi, printing, fax, connections to resources, and activities to keep kids active while parents are busy at the center.
In addition, the free Touch-A-Truck Family Event is taking place from 4-7 p.m. April 25 at Wayne County Safety Village, 498 N.W. 18th St. in Richmond. Kids can explore a variety of trucks/first responder vehicles and enjoy free pizza and giveaways from community agencies (while supplies last).
Family Resource Center staff can be reached at 765-935-6349 or strengtheninginfamilies.org/frc/wayne, where a monthly events calendar is available.
A version of this article appeared in the April 24 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.