3-05-2024 4:49pm

Commission on Child Abuse & Missing Children to Sponsor Free Workshops ‘Know & Tell: Preventing, Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse’ on April 11

Donnella Tilery Editor

BRANCHBURG, NJ – Learn how to identify and report child abuse from experts at the free workshop forum “Know & Tell: Preventing, Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse.” Workshops will take place during Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month on Thursday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Event Center at Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ, 08876. There will be a light breakfast available, and registration will be open at 8:30 a.m. Participants can receive Professional Development Certificates.

Workshops are appropriate for mental health professionals, law enforcement, and the public including parents, neighbors, caregivers and anyone who has an interest in protecting children in their community.

Expert presenters will lead dynamic and interactive workshops about creating a safe community for children, identifying and reporting child abuse, and understanding the legal roles and responsibilities when reporting child abuse. Presenters of the workshops are Communications and Outreach Director Olga Aramini of New Jersey Children’s Alliance (NJCA) and Child Advocacy Manager Melinda McCabe of the Special Victims Unit, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

Workshop participants will also learn:

Legal definitions of neglect, and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse
Warning signs of child abuse
Mandatory child abuse reporting responsibilities according to New Jersey law
Steps for reporting child abuse on the Child Abuse Hotline
Barriers to reporting child abuse and how to overcome the barriers
Strategies for keeping children safe from online and in-person predators
How New Jersey’s Child Advocacy Centers, Multidisciplinary Teams, and other stakeholders work together to protect children

To preregister for the workshop, contact Luisa Hernandez at lhernandez@co.somerset.nj.us.

For more information, contact Community Planning Specialist Kristy Soriano at 908-704-6356 or ksoriano@co.somerset.nj.us.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month when communities around the nation come together to support families and children by educating communities about strategies, outreach programs, resources, activities and tools to help identify, prevent and protect children from neglect and abuse.

Sponsors of the Child Abuse Forum

Sponsors of this event include the Somerset County Commission of Child Abuse and Missing Children, the Somerset County Office of Youth Services, and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in partnership with Raritan Valley Community College and the Safe Communities Coalition.