NCJ Number
61114
Journal
Child Welfare Volume: 57 Issue: 8 Dated: (1978) Pages: 519-525
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND OUTREACH AND COUNSELING FOR ABUSING PARENTS IS DESCRIBED FOR A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS.
Abstract
IN JANUARY 1973, THE RICHARDSON-PLANO SECTION, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN, INITIATED WITH THE DALLAS COUNTY CHILD WELFARE UNIT, A DIVISION OF THE TEXAS STATE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, CALLED THE FAMILY OUTREACH. THE OUTREACH CENTER IS STAFFED BY A FULL-TIME CASEWORKER AND 16 VOLUNTEERS TRAINED AS PARAPROFESSIONALS. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE (1) TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND MAKE IT AWARE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS AREA, (2) TO WORK FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY DEVELOPING A ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP WITH POTENTIAL CHILD ABUSERS, AND (3) TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES FIND FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY. INFORMATION, REFERRAL, AND ONE-TO-ONE COUNSELING SERVICES HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY TELEPHONE AND VISITATION ON A CONTINUING BASIS. VOLUNTEERS HAVE HANDLED TELEPHONE INTAKE, COUNSELED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE FAMILY OUTREACH CASEWORKER, FULFILLED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AND ARRANGED FOR MEDIA PUBLICITY. VOLUNTEERS ARE INVOLVED IN ALL PHASES OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING PLANNING AND FUNDRAISING. ALL VOLUNTEERS MAKING CLIENT CONTACT BY PHONE OR IN PERSON ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING, WHICH INCLUDES A 15-HOUR ORIENTATION SEGMENT, FOLLOWED BY AN ONGOING PHASE THAT OFFERS A 3-HOUR GROUP TRAINING EXPERIENCE EACH MONTH TO PRACTICE SKILLS LEARNED IN THE INITIAL PHASE. THERE ARE NO DATA THAT WOULD MEASURE PROGRAM OUTCOMES, BUT A MEASURE OF THE COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM AS A HELPING SERVICE IS TO BE SEEN IN THE RISE OF THE SELF-REFERRAL RATE FROM 8.5 PERCENT AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR TO 51 PERCENT AT THE END OF THE FITH YEAR. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)