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Community Corner

Free Training Program To Highlight Child Abuse Prevention

This 7 p.m. program of the Paulding Child Advocacy Center will be held Monday, April 4, on the Dallas campus of West Ridge Church.

The Paulding Child Advocacy Center will host a free training program Monday at West Ridge Church in Dallas.

The church's Dallas campus is at 3522 Hiram Acworth Highway (Ga. 92) near East Paulding Drive. 

Of "Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children: Adults Resolving Child Sexual Abuse in the Community," the April 4 program is described as "a revolutionary sexual abuse prevention program that educates adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program believes and teaches that child safety is an adult's job," according to Brenda Hawthorne of the Northwest Georgia Child Advocacy Center based in Rome.

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Parents, family members, community residents and professionals who work with children are invited to attend this program from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The curriculum can be used by individuals or organizations who are:

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  • Seeking training for staff and volunteers in the prevention of child sexual abuse.
  • Wanting to make a difference in their community by educating adults about the protection of children.
  • Needing to respond to insurance requirements regarding child protection.
  • Wanting to enhance community training initiatives and develop potential sources of revenue.

The program includes:

  • An interactive workbook for each participant containing the full program curriculum.
  • An accompanying VHS/DVD integrating segments of sexual abuse survivors and relating their stories of violation and healing - with segments from the author of the curriculum and from professionals.

Participants have included Paulding County school counselors, City of Hiram Police Department, Department of Juvenile Justice, Dallas First United Methodist Church, parents of children in the Paulding Child Advocacy Center's Heroes Group, Dallas Police Department and Adoptive/Foster Parents Association.

For more information on attending this training either on April 4 or on a future date, contact Brenda Hawthorne at 678-363-7234 or email bhawthorne@nwga-cac.org.

The Northwest Georgia Child Advocacy Center sponsors Harbor House, "a child-friendly environment to assist families involved in the many steps of a child abuse investigation," according to the website.

"We coordinate prevention programs which help put an end to abuse before it begins. When there are allegations of abuse, we provide intervention with a child-friendly atmosphere to interview the child. We also provide support groups for those families where abuse has occurred."

Beyond the initial interview with a child who may have been the victim of sexual and/or physical abuse, Harbor House provides ongoing support for the family by providing referrals to the Heroes program and to Parent/Caregiver support groups.

Both programs are free for participants.

Harbor House also provides referrals to local counselors and therapists "to help you and your child get back to a normal life." Harbor House works closely with several agencies to deliver effective services to families throughout Northwest Georgia and neighboring states.

The Paulding Child Advocacy Center’s mission is "to provide a safe and caring place to evaluate the child who may have been abused, to encourage the collaboration of social and legal agencies for the benefit of the child and to, at all times, lessen the trauma suffered by the child," according to the center's website.

The center, or PCAC, serves as a neutral facility at which all sexual abuse cases brought to the attention of the police and the Department of Family and Children’s Services may be evaluated.

PCAC helps the families of sexual abuse victims identify appropriate community resources for medical care, counseling, education and financial support.

Officers of the PCAC Board of Directors are Ana Rountree, president; Ken Hardy, vice president; Lorie Dennis, treasurer; and Deedee Walraven, secretary. Board members include Beth Black, Meredith Cole, Ed Cook, Debbie Curl, Kate Hill, Danny Millican, Paul Richardson and Emily Worthy. Debbie Barnett is the executive director.

 

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