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COLUMBUS – Representatives from the Family and Youth Success program met with parents as they picked up their children from day care last week to provide resources that could help them take care of their children.
They kicked off the week on Tuesday, April 11, at Lil’ Einstein Learning Center, 1217 Walnut St. The learning center partnered with FAYS Youth and Family Services to host a Child Abuse Prevention Month event. FAYS representatives also went to A Brighter Day Child Care Center on Wednesday and ended the week at the Boys and Girls Club on Friday for their Autism Awareness event.
FAYS Executive Director Dan Poré said the purpose behind the initiative is to provide information that could help parents with coping skills so they will not resort to physical or verbal abuse.
“There is a push to decrease child abuse in our state, and we’re here to give parents information that is so critical to a healthy family,” Poré said. “Our goal is to empower families to have a greater insight on how to handle their children when they’re at their limit.”
LaDell Wilson is a family support specialist with FAYS for Austin County. In his work, Wilson looks at the parent-child relationship and said he has realized that sometimes parents and children do not know each other, even when they live under the same roof. He believes this is why child abuse prevention is important.
“Child abuse awareness is something that you can kind of forget about if you don’t see it,” Wilson said. “You have to look for the signs of a child that doesn’t feel loved and appreciated. So, I feel we can open our eyes a little wider to see the hurt.”
Wilson said paying more attention to each other can help strengthen the family dynamic.
Veronica King, owner of Lil’ Einstein, said she admires what FAYS is doing in the community.
“It is well needed, she said. “They are supporting parents, identifying the signs of child abuse and providing a support system as well.”
FAYS said their goal is to do this campaign again next year not just in Colorado County but in the other counties they serve.
FAYS has been serving Colorado, Austin and Fayette counties for 30 years. Parents can reach out directly to the FAYS office to get access to services. FAYS also receives referrals from schools which allows representatives to get families involved and create a plan to help move children in the right direction.
Visit ccyfs.org to learn more about the services FAYS offers.
