Preventing Child Abuse: Tips & Resources for Families in Crisis

January 27, 2008--El Paso County has been experiencing an alarming rise in the number and severity of child abuse in recent weeks.  A 4-week-old baby girl, a 14-month-old baby girl and most recently a one-month-old baby boy are recovering from abuse.

It is historically true that as the economy worsens, cases of child abuse tend to increase. "Although there is never any excuse for hurting a child, the pressures of raising children on top of the pressure of not having the funds to meet the needs of the family often can be enough to push an adult over the edge," said CASA Executive Director Trudy Strewler.  "We tend to see this kind of behavior with people who have poor coping skills to begin with."

As a community we can all help prevent child abuse by offering support to families in crisis.  Something as simple as offering to babysit your neighbor's children may help -- anything that will give a stressed parent a break.

One of the most valuable resources for families in Colorado Springs is the free crisis/respite care center run by KPC Kids' Place (listed below). The nonprofit nursery is dedicated to preventing child abuse by offering stressed parents a safe place to drop off their kids.

Other community resources to help parents cope are noted below. If you suspect child abuse or neglect call the 24-hour child abuse hotline: El Paso County: 444-5700 / Teller County: 686-5550.  Click here to see list of signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect.

KPC Kids' Place Respite Nursery
KPC Kids' Place offers free crisis and planned respite childcare for young children ages 0-6.  The highly qualified staff members provide a safe and nurturing atmosphere for children at risk of abuse or neglect while offering parents in stressful situations a much-needed respite opportunity.  Caregivers who love their children enough to ask for help can get up to 72 hours of relief during difficult times.  Family advocacy and community referrals are offered to all caregivers who use KPC Kids' Place. The crisis line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (719) 634-5439.  A Program of Pikes Peak Family Connections.

Nurturing Parenting Program 
Provides parents with effective behavior management tools and encourage the development of healthy parent-child relationships.  These family-centered classes are designed to strengthen families through education in empathy and caring, responsibility and discipline, and family growth.  The Nurturing Parenting Programs are dynamic and exciting, and are proven to build caring, non-violent families.  One of the exciting aspects of the Nurturing Parenting Program classes is that the children are learning their own skills while parents focus on parenting styles.  Families then come together to practice what they have learned.  Call 520-1019 for more information or to register for an upcoming class.  A Program of Pikes Peak Family Connections.

Center on Fathering
The Center provides a program which teaches dads to be more actively and positively involved in their child’s development.  They also have a program called Conflict-Resolution for Dads which gives dads a unique, father-oriented way to deal with conflict in their lives. For more information call 634-7797.

Click here for more community resources for families.