Collaborative Connection April 14, 2022: National Child Abuse Prevention Month, The Basics Cobb County, Resources, Events...

Collaborative Connection: April 14, 2022

APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Cobb Collaborative is proud to have much of our programming align with other upstream prevention efforts. The theme for this year's observation is "Children and Families Are Our Greatest Natural Resource" We ALL have a stake in preparing children to grow up to be healthy, thriving members of our community.

But what is "child abuse prevention?" Simply, anything that helps to strengthen families and helps children thrive. Food box giveaways, spring festivals, story times, walks to the park, prayer, out of school activities mentoring, and more. Prevent Child Abuse Georgia notes that "the prevention of child abuse and neglect cannot be achieved with one program or one strategy." Programs that only target caregivers are shown to improve parent-child interactions, but don’t account for other root causes of maltreatment such as social isolation, poverty, community violence, and other stressors. It requires a comprehensive approach with strategies at many different levels and with multiple sectors working together. This is why our work at the Collaborative is not only in the mental health space but also in early education and civic engagement and why the collective impact of all of our efforts to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb is critical.

Wondering how YOU can play a part in protecting and nurturing the next generation? Here are a few examples of how caring and innovative adults, can prevent child abuse and neglect or other early adversities.

Business Leaders can promote a culture of parent support.
Policy Makers can identify and assess which policies may positively impact the lives of children and families and reduce possible barriers to families receiving needed supports and resources.
Faith Communities can offer space for parent and youth activities.
Family and Youth Serving Organizations can train staff on preventing, recognizing, and responding to child abuse using the Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children, Connections Matter, Community Resilience Model trainings.
Educators can follow-up if something seems wrong with a child and be ready to give families local resources that might help families in their district.
Friends and Neighbors can help break the social isolation some parents may experience or encourage parents to seek support when needed by calling the 1-800-CHILDREN (244-5373) Helpline.
Individuals can volunteer for a mentoring program. Check out Cobb Mentoring Matters and Marietta Mentoring For Leadership.

April Events Focused on ACEs/Trauma/Resilience

Tue, Apr 19, 2022 9:00 AM EST

Connections Matter

Cumberland Community Church, Smyrna

Tickets

8:30AM: Registration, coffee & networking
9:00AM-12:30PM: Training Session

Join us for this important trauma-informed training that focuses on resiliency & personal connections and prevention of childhood trauma.

Every day connections are more important than we ever believed. Science tells us that relationships have the power to shape our brains. Relationships help us learn better, work better, parent better. When we experience tough times, they help us heal. With each connection, we develop a healthier stronger community. CEUs and POST Hours available. "

A series of film screenings and discussions on the effects of toxic stress and childhood trauma on young children as they age into adulthood will be hosted by Cobb County Public Library in conjunction with Cobb & Douglas Health, facilitated by the Cobb Collaborative and supported by Resilient Georgia. Additionally, Cobb Collaborative will have staff members present to answer questions after the films.

Resilience reveals how toxic stress can trigger hormones, wreaking havoc on children’s brains and putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time, and even early death. The film also chronicles pioneers in the fields of pediatrics, education, and social welfare who are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the effects of toxic stress. The film runs approximately one hour.
Paper Tigers examines the effects of childhood trauma and how one community transformed its culture to respond. The film follows six students as teachers, administrators, health professionals and counselors support them through stressful life events. The film offers a compelling example of how caring connections can improve the well-being of youth, adults, and the overall community. The film runs approximately one hour and 20 minutes.

Cobb County Public Library is proud to offer a venue for difficult conversations for people of all ages. Being that the issue of stress and trauma is a sensitive topic, parental discretion is advised.

In partnership with the Georgia State University Child Welfare Training Collaborative, we are pleased to present Recognizing and Managing Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). This course is designed to educate various helping professionals on Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and its impact.

Click here for registration for April 20, 2022, 9:00AM-12:30PM. If you prefer an afternoon session, please click here to register for the 1:30-5:00PM training session on this date.

Three CEU hours are provided for the following: MSW (core), LPC and LMFT (related), DECAL/BFTS, FVIP, POST, Babies Can’t Wait Project SCEIs in Area I | Children and Families – Birth to 8 CEUs, and Nursing.

Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Did you know that the human brain doubles in size in the first year of life?

It's TRUE! The brain keeps growing to about 80% of adult size by age 3 and 90% – nearly full grown – by age 5. That’s why the earliest years are critical to developing strong readers and engaged students.

The Basics aims to help every family help every child reach their full potential. Cobb County is proud to be a part of this strategy to support vibrant learning and brain development among infants and toddlers.

Learn more by following our social media for The Basics Cobb County:

RESOURCES

All applications will close on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 11:59 PM. For more information, click here.

YSA will host a webinar to discuss the grant application and answer questions on April 20, 2022, at 3:00 PM EDT. Click here to register. The session will be recorded for those who are unable to attend. You may also email Nikki Liles, Director of Partnerships, at nliles@ysa.org with questions or to discuss which opportunity is best for your organization, school or program.

Full-time position working around the issue of improving maternal child health and supporting Fathers in our community. Applicant must have the following skills: