For more information on the Child Protection Center, Inc. and the Personal Safety Program, contact Michelle McSwain, at 941-365-1277.

Child Protection Center has increased its efforts in training children and educators on the signs and symptoms of child abuse. The Personal Safety and Community Awareness (PSCA) program is designed to create a safety net surrounding children, where caregivers, educators, faith leaders, and other organization employees receive free training on identifying and reporting signs of abuse. CPC reports that child sexual abuse was up over 23% during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic numbers—over 3,800 child abuse reports were referred to the agency last year. “There isn’t a single soul who wasn’t affected by the pandemic, but our children are the ones who have been most vulnerable,” says Teri A Hansen, President/CEO of Barancik Foundation. “It’s going to take collective effort for us to weave our social safety nets tighter to protect and treat those who experienced the unimaginable.”

For more information on the Child Protection Center, Inc. and the Personal Safety Program, contact Michelle McSwain, at 941-365-1277.