Child Abuse and Neglect
Everyday at Children's we witness the devastating impacts of child abuse and neglect. On an average day at Children’s, three patients are assessed for concerns about possible child abuse and neglect. Not all of these assessments result in a referral to Child Protective Services or law enforcement.
The physical and behavioral indicators for child abuse and neglect can sometimes be signs of other problems that our staff can often help parents resolve.
Children's recognizes the many challenges parents face. Caring for children requires an endless amount of learning, love, and patience on a parent's part, let alone meeting the very real demands of today's world -- such as work, child care, and housing.
Children's advocates that parents receive all the basic supports they need to provide their children with a healthy environment, in addition to receiving resources on positive parenting and healthy child development.
Children's primary goals in this area are:
- Ensuring the health and safety of every child that comes to Children's
- Assisting families in getting help if child abuse and/or neglect are issues
- Educating staff and the greater community about child abuse and neglect
- Promoting the prevention of child abuse and neglect
Children's Protection Program
The Children's Protection Program provides essential resources and services regarding child abuse and neglect. The Children's Protection Program provides:
- Abuse and neglect consultation and triage to Children's staff and the broader community
- Coordination of the Children's Protection Team, a multidisciplinary group of experts in the area of family violence, including child maltreatment
- Training for Children's staff and community providers on child abuse and neglect issues
- Leadership for Foster Care Assessment Project program in three regions of Washington state
- Research on child abuse and neglect issues
- Ongoing educational opportunities on issues of child abuse and neglect
For more information about the Children's Protection Program, please contact Carol Jenkins, Manager, at (206) 987-1005.