Child Advocacy Center of Lincoln spreads awareness as school starts

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Each year, over one thousand child deaths are caused by abuse and the Child Advocacy Center in Lincoln is spreading awareness as school starts.

Training and Prevention Director Christy Prang believes the rise isn’t unusual for this time of year.

“We think that the uptick is really surrounding the fact that kids are returning to school,” she said. “And often times kids viewed school and the adults that are there as safe people.”

Safe people, in comparison to “trusted adults,” are vetted adults by parental figures and guardians in the child’s life. This allows a child in need to truly be safe in the event abuse is taking place.

Prang emphasized as things like fall sports come into play, awareness in your child is vital.

“Your new teacher could be a safe person,” Prang said. “And as the year goes on, we’re resisting that safe person content making sure they have identified people in case they need to talk to someone.”

In the state of Nebraska, Prang says, “we’re all mandatory reporters,” when it comes to signs of abuse in a child.

“All you need is reasonable cause and understanding that disclosure, observation, or circumstances in which a kid would be abused or neglected, that’s reasonable cause to make that report,” Prang said.

Remaining vigilant as the school year starts is the call to action from the C.A.C. and more information from them can be found at smallvoices.org.

You can also report cases of abuse to the Department of Health and Human Services by calling the hotline 1-800-653-1999.