Preventing Child Abuse

Indiana-Parenting-InstitutePorter County had 216 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect including 35 sexual abuse cases and 20 physical abuse cases in 2013 according to the Indiana Department of Child Services.

In an effort to help school counselors, teachers, parents, youth ministers and others who work with children better understand how to identify child abuse and help children get services, the Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) is hosting a forum on child abuse prevention.

The forum will feature Ester Stiles, family advocate at Dunebrook, Inc. She will provide information on the definition of child abuse, state and federal laws, characteristics of abuse, indicators to watch for, services needed and available for victims, and what to do if you encounter someone who may have been abused.

The forum will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT on April 24, at Dunebrook, Inc. in the conference room, 502 Wall St., Valparaiso, 46383. Free parking is available.

As part of IYI’s Youth Worker Café program, the forum is free and lunch will be served, but reservations are required by April 23. RSVP at www.iyi.org/YWC or by contacting IYI Statewide Outreach Manager Debbie Jones via email at djones@iyi.org.

Youth Worker Cafés are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children. This Youth Worker Café is made possible by the collaborative efforts of Dunebrook, Inc. and IYI.

For more information, contact IYI Northwest Indiana Outreach Manager Stephen Gill at sgill@iyi.org.