GOAL TWO-SAFE CHILDREN


Our children should be able to grow up in a society that values them and protects them from intentional and unintentional injury, by using a multi-disciplinary "public health" approach to our children's safety. Our vision is to provide the education and physical environment that allows children to engage fully, safely and successfully in life. To accomplish this we must equip parents, neighbors and community leaders with the knowledge and parenting skills to be positive role models and mentors. To achieve this goal, to participate in securing our children's safe and secure future, we must engage all aspects of our communities, not just parents, but also churches, law enforcement, the courts, juvenile justice systems, social services and the legal and business communities. We must provide children and youth with opportunities that direct them in how to be responsible and constructive members of society. The following goals will help us to achieve that end.


S 1. Violence in our society must be dramatically reduced.

  1. Support local community efforts, including collaboration with law enforcement, to explore and find solutions to address and reduce violence.
  2. School shall provide children with age appropriate education concerning the role violence has in society and methods to reduce this violence, including personal safety training, anti-drug use education, conflict resolution and other non-violent techniques.
  3. All parents and caregivers should be provided a variety of opportunities to learn about and understand the costs of violence and violent behavior in the social and mental development of children and youth.
  4. Violence in the media must be recognized as contributing to the acceptance of violence in society.
  5. Support research and evaluation efforts to understand the causes of intentional and unintentional violence in our society.
S 2. Child abuse and neglect shall not be tolerated in our society. Systems and strategies will developed to work toward the elimination of abuse and neglect.

  1. The safety and well-being of the child must be the foremost consideration in interviewing presumed victims of child abuse and neglect.
  2. Research and evaluation of programs designed to protect children from abuse and neglect shall be supported and distributed to increase understanding of what works and what does not work.
  3. Local prevention efforts must be expanded. These include Family Support, parenting education, respite care, family counseling and others. Investment in positively focused activities and opportunities for children and youth should be expanded.
  4. The cycle of violence perpetuated by some parents must be acknowledged and broken, through intervention, counseling, and other strategies. The first goal must be to protect the child.
  5. State law should allow and local communities shall approach the prevention and intervention of child abuse in a multi-disciplinary fashion.
  6. Family support and economic security strategies must be tailored to ensure children do no go without the appropriate shelter, food, education, clothing and health care (including mental and dental health care).
S 3. Education for parents on skills and strategies that promote healthy and responsible behavior must be valued and become an expected norm for all parents.

  1. All parents and caregivers shall have access to parenting education that is understandable and practical, supporting parents' ability to be responsible for their children.
  2. Communities shall develop strategic plans for the local provision of parenting education.
  3. Parenting education shall be included in school curricula from sixth to twelfth grade.
S 4. Unintentional injury and death must not be accepted as "part of a child's life".

  1. The state shall keep a current and comprehensive evaluation of the statistical cause of death, injury and disability from "accidents". This data shall provide a road map for the state's strategic plan for reducing unintentional injury and death, which shall be updated frequently as appropriate to help guide efforts to reduce these avoidable tragedies.
  2. Local communities should develop strategic plans to address the reduction of childhood unintentional injuries and death. The state shall support such efforts.
  3. Parents and caregivers shall be provided information about the causes of childhood injury and death and prevention techniques.
S 5. The juvenile justice system must not only protect society when necessary, but should be designed to value children and youth and maximize the possibility that each child can make a positive contribution to the future.

  1. Research and evaluation of programs aimed at using early intervention and/or multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing juvenile crime recidivism shall be supported. Information on successful strategies shall be made available to encourage more thoughtful juvenile justice planning.
  2. Substantial early intervention must be undertaken for children meeting a "future difficulty" profile, those with special needs and/or at risk for child abuse or neglect.
  3. Children and youth who are status offenders or non-violent offenders should be subject to community-based intervention programs, that protect the community and maiximize opportunities for positive results.
  4. The juvenile justice system should be opened up to more public scrutiny. This will allow for more understanding of the system and will help to demystify whether and how juvenile offenders are accountable for their actions.
  5. Adequate funding must be provided for treatment and early intervention programs.
  6. Information must be provided to the public to encourage public dialogue about the role of incarceration as it may be necessary to protect society and children from violent crime.




Continued....

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