April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
More than 300,000 Texans picked up a phone or logged on to their computer in FY 2022 to file a report of suspected child abuse or neglect.
As a result of those reports, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services saw more than 37,000 confirmed investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect through the year.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and child welfare staff throughout the state are urging community members continue to play a part in protecting children from harm.
The 37,081 confirmed investigations in FY 22 accounted 56,944 confirmed victims statewide. Of those, 4,628 cases were confirmed in Central Texas, accounting for 7,038 victims in the region.
Here’s a look at confirmed cases in several counties in Central Texas’ Region 7: 1,137 in Travis County 526 in Williamson County 500 in McLennan County 310 in Brazos County 207 in Hays County 841 in Bell County 147 in Bastrop County 38 in Fayette County In FY 22, 182 children died as a result of abuse and neglect throughout the state, 163 of whom had no open investigation or ongoing involvement with Child Protective Services.
The number highlights the importance of community members reporting any incident that may appear to be related to abuse or neglect.
“It is absolutely essential for members of our community to report suspected abuse or neglect anytime they think it is happening,” said DFPS Media Relations Specialist Mark Wilson. “All too often, children who are experiencing maltreatment may not have a voice, or the power to remove themselves from a bad situation.”
Signs of physical abuse include: frequent injuries, like bruises, cuts, black eyes or burns; frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury; lack of reaction to pain; aggressive, disruptive or destructive behavior; passive, withdrawn or emotionless behavior; fear of going home or seeing parents; and unreasonable clothing that may hide injuries to arms or legs.
Signs of neglect include: obvious malnourishment; lack of personal cleanliness; torn or dirty clothing; stealing or begging for food; children left unattended for long periods of time; need for glasses, dental care or other medical attention; frequent tardiness or absence from school.
“We all have a duty to ensure that every child in our community has the opportunity to live free of abuse and fear,” Wilson said. “Anytime someone picks up the phone to report suspected abuse or neglect, they very well may save a life.”
Anyone who recognizes any of the signs listed above, or signs of sexual or emotional abuse, can file a report by calling the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or by visiting TxAbuseHotline.org.
DFPS staff also encourage parents and caregivers to visit GetParentingTips.org to access a wide variety of information and best practices for caring for and protecting children. The site features articles on safe sleep, water safety, mental health and more.