Vernon Hills, Illinois -- Anytime a child is abused or neglected, it’s a tragedy, one that all too often scars victims for a lifetime. The latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are sobering:
● Child protective services agencies across the United States received some 3.4 million referrals of abuse or neglect involving 6.3 million children in 2012.
● An estimated 1,640 children died from child abuse or neglect in 2012, nearly three-quarters of them younger than 3 years of age.
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● In 2013, there were 1,800 cases of child abuse or neglect reported in Lake County.
Studies have shown that children who have suffered abuse or neglect are more likely to struggle in school, have run-ins with law enforcement, experience homelessness, abuse drugs or alcohol. Research also shows that abused children are more apt to grow up to abuse their own children.
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CASA Lake County volunteers, some 300 of them, help abused and neglected children heal so they can live happier, safer lives. Our CASA volunteers – Court Appointed Special Advocates – make sure kids don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service systems or languish in unsupportive foster homes. CASA volunteers stay with children until their court case is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.
The community is invited to learn more about CASAs work and consider becoming a CASA volunteer. CASA Lake County, volunteer and staff are always looking to build a family of volunteers so we can someday provide an advocate for every at risk child who needs one. Financial support so we can sustain the program for years to come is also greatly appreciated.
For more information call, 847-383-6260, Ext. 212 or go to www.casalakecounty.com
Not everyone can be a CASA volunteer, but everyone can be an advocate by taking steps to make our community safer for our children:· Be mindful of the signs of abuse and neglect in children, such as a lack of adult supervision, extreme passivity or aggression or poor hygiene.
· Be aware of warning signs in parents, such as showing indifference or rarely touching or looking at their child, constant verbal criticism, demands for perfection, blaming the child for family problems or other irrational behaviors.
· If you think a child is in immediate danger, don’t hesitate. Call 911.
· If you believe a child is being abused or neglected, report your suspicions confidentially to our state’s toll-free child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-3873
Working together, we can end abuse and neglect so that every child has a chance to thrive. To find out more about CASA Lake County, visit us online at http://www.casalakecounty.com/ or visit us on Facebook.
Background: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Lake County, Vernon Hills, is a non-profit organization committed to acquiring, training and supervising volunteer advocates to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the juvenile justice system. Research shows that a child with a CASA volunteer advocate is less likely to experience further abuse; moves more rapidly through the court system; stays an average of 10 months less in foster care; and is more likely to be adopted into a safe and permanent home.
