April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) knows how you can make a difference.
While the statistics for Texas overall have improved, Bexar County now ranks as the third-highest county in Texas for confirmed abuse and neglect cases, with 4,800 children identified in the Child Protective Services fiscal year 2023-24 report, an increase from the previous year. Bexar County also had five children who died due to abuse and neglect in fiscal year 2023-24. Children who are age 4 and under are the most vulnerable, making up nearly half (48%) of the confirmed victims.
Additionally, more children were removed from their homes in Bexar County than last year.
At CASA, we believe even one child abused or neglected is too many. Child Abuse Prevention Month gives us the opportunity to step up and educate our friends, families and neighbors about how we, individually and collectively, can help prevent child abuse and neglect.
Identifying child abuse
Unexplained injuries are not the only sign of child abuse. Keep an eye out for behaviors and mental health signs as well, including depression, difficulty trusting others, hostility and inappropriate expressions of anger, anxiety, inappropriate sexual behaviors and poor hygiene. Children experiencing abuse and neglect may have ongoing, toxic stress that can increase the risk for developmental delays, including the ability to learn.
Children in families experiencing ongoing crisis are at higher risk of abuse and neglect. Poverty, job loss and other negative circumstances can increase stress on the whole family.
What happens next
When a child enters foster care, they are suddenly in a strange home, separated from everything that is familiar. Children may be separated from siblings and missing their families, their own bed and their favorite blanket or stuffed animal. Their sense of normalcy is gone, along with their comfort items. The experience is traumatic and heartbreaking for a child who has already gone through so much.
How you can help
Check in with your circles. If you see a family in crisis, see if there is a way you can help lift their burdens and provide support. Your help could make the difference for the whole family.
If you see a child who may be experiencing neglect or abuse, please say something! If a child is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. To report an ongoing situation, use the Texas Abuse Hotline or call 1-800-252-5400.
Once a child has been removed, they need community, stability and someone to trust. You can be that person by volunteering to become a CASA volunteer advocate. Last year, CASA volunteers served 937 children, but many more still need you.
The role of a CASA Advocate
As a CASA volunteer, you will get to know the child, the family and all of the people involved in the child’s case. You will be a steady, trusted presence in their life, a person who shows up for them when perhaps no one else does.
Volunteer advocates gather information from families, case workers, therapists, teachers, doctors and others to provide recommendations to the judge overseeing the child’s case. CASA volunteers keep their focus on the child’s well-being every step of the way.
Becoming a CASA Advocate is a powerful way to make a lasting impact. CASA’s objective is to assign an advocate to each child experiencing foster care. CASA welcomes individuals or couples from all walks of life. After completing volunteer training and being sworn in by a judge, advocates are assigned to a child or children, committing an average of 15 hours per month to advocate in court, visit the child and meet with other involved parties. You won’t be alone: volunteers are supported every step of the way by expert CASA staff members.
If you are interested in making a difference in a child’s life, sign up for an information session at CASA-SATX.org to learn more about becoming a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate. Together, we can ensure that every child in Bexar County receives the support and care they deserve.
