Child Abuse Prevention Month at CASA: Supporting Thriving Families

By Emily Witt

“Everyone in this world needs a lifeline, and CASA is that lifeline for a lot of people.” - Stephanie Weiss, CASA of Travis County Senior Director of Advocacy 

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, giving us the opportunity to come together as a community to learn more about how we can be a lifeline of support for children and families 365 days a year—preventing crises before they ever happen.  

This year’s theme is Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose. 

Family is our first priority at CASA—we know that children flourish when they’re surrounded by a village of people who love them and share their culture, and while our role as advocates means that we come into a family’s life after allegations of abuse or neglect have occurred, CASA still plays a vital role in preventing future abuse through empowering families with the resources they need to build upon their strengths and enable them to care for their children safely. 

According to Stephanie Weiss, CASA’s Senior Director of Advocacy, this work begins with “meeting families where they are.” 

According to Stephanie Weiss, CASA’s Senior Director of Advocacy, this work begins with “meeting families where they are.” 

This is especially important when we begin to look at child abuse through a holistic lens that magnifies the cyclical nature of abuse and neglect. As Weiss goes on to explain, many of the parents we work with were often involved in the system as children themselves.  

“There are many factors that can put children at a higher risk of abuse or neglect. A chaotic home environment, domestic violence within the home, and a lack of support system for both the parents and the children are just a few. Parents or children may also have unaddressed mental health issues that create a more stressful atmosphere. Substance abuse may also be a factor, as well as parents having a prior history of CPS involvement during their own childhoods. All of these things heighten the risk of abuse in a home.” 

Coming to parents from a place of compassion and understanding is our only way forward, as we work to shift the stigmas surrounding the child welfare system, creating more trust within the community, and opening a pathway for children and families to access the resources they need to thrive. 

Coming to parents from a place of compassion and understanding is our only way forward, as we work to shift the stigmas surrounding the child welfare system, creating more trust within the community, and opening a pathway for children and families to access the resources they need to thrive. 

“Parents need resources given by a non-judgmental professional who shares similar values. When parents enter the child welfare system, they’re met with a whole host of possible services, but it’s hard for some parents to find support that fits their needs and services that aren’t cookie cutter. We have to meet families where they are.” 

Reunification is always our goal when it is safe and in the best interest of the children served. However, when children have a community of caring people and a wide range of family members, their risk of being abused decreases significantly. 

Two unique programs at CASA of Travis of County, Family Finding and Early Family Engagement, are key to our strategy of achieving permanency for the children we serve, and as Weiss goes on to unpack, our flexibility and innovation as an agency allow us to engage family members in a variety of ways that can serve to foster these important familial connections for children. 

"Even if a relative can’t be a placement, we’ve been able to find family members who can send a birthday card every year or invite a child over for Christmas dinner. It’s so important for children to know that they’ll have someone they can count on to show up for those moments. During the most difficult times, that can really keep a child going."

“When safe, we advocate for children to go home or to be with family. As an agency, we have the ability to investigate placements in a way that can help us ensure we're always doing what is right for each individual child and their unique needs. Even if a relative can’t be a placement, we’ve been able to find family members who can send a birthday card every year or invite a child over for Christmas dinner. It’s so important for children to know that they’ll have someone they can count on to show up for those moments. During the most difficult times, that can really keep a child going.” 

While CASA can be instrumental in building thriving families and children, there’s still a lot that people in our community who aren’t involved in the child welfare system can do to ensure families have the foundation of resources they need before ever reaching a point of crisis.  

“The community can help by first building our awareness around abuse and acknowledging that it happens in every neighborhood, no matter your socioeconomic status or your race. Adults should know warning signs to look for, but children should also have an awareness and know how to tell an adult if someone has crossed their boundaries. We also need to use the correct terms when referencing different body parts with our children, because when kids can’t communicate about these things, abuse is easier to conceal.” 

Awareness is a key step in prevention, but for Weiss and many advocates, creating systems of support for families and shifting the cultural norm of painting a “good guy and a bad guy" are actionable prevention strategies that can create lasting change.

"We also have to be able to give parents grace. In all my years working in the child welfare system, I have yet to meet a parent who doesn’t love their child."

“We also have to be able to give parents grace. In all my years working in the child welfare system, I have yet to meet a parent who doesn’t love their child. So many of the parents we work with are struggling with their own illnesses and trauma, and I think we’ve got to start seeing everyone as people first so that we can truly identify their needs. We have to get away from this narrative that there is a good guy and a bad guy and see parents as real people.” 

Could you be a lifeline for a parent, family, or child who desperately needs you? Consider volunteering with CASA today or refer a friend to CASA!  

2021 Featured Story Advocacy