Expert Katria Jenkins, executive director with Embrace Families in Osceola County, discussed the importance of child abuse prevention and the importance of checking-in.

Why is it important for children to have people to check-in with them?

It's very important that children have community supports, a mentor, and strong family support who communicate with the child. Having a relationship with a child can definitely help support and provide that resiliency that they need to stop abuse and move forward in life to live in a healthier dynamic.

Why is it important to check-in with our friends who have families?

Being a parent is extremely challenging. As individuals, we need to recognize that and empathize with parents and family members. When we're checking-in, we may not have all the answers. But asking “How are you?”, “How are things going?”, and then offering support where you can provide it goes a long way. 

What are some ways people can check-in?

The use of technology is very important right now. 

• Phone calls
• FaceTime
• Skype
• Social media

We're social distancing, but that doesn’t mean that you can't say a quick hello to a neighbor in passing and ask how they are doing. There are ways that we can still be watchful and helpful. 

What resources are available to families in Osceola County?

Embrace Families offers:

• Case management and preventive services that directly fall in place where there's substance abuse, mental health services, and evaluations
• Mentoring and supporting extracurricular activities for children
• Therapy 
• Parenting resources
• Emergency funding to help support families on an emergency and one-time basis that's dependent on other community resources
• Community resource connections, such as food drives or pantries
  

Also, Ounce of Prevention provides resources such as handbooks and other tools that you can use to review with your family and friends and talk about prevention of child abuse. If you see a parent that's overwhelmed, offer that assistance and be empathetic.

How can people get involved in child abuse prevention?

If you are interested in getting involved with Embrace Families by becoming a foster parent or mentoring children, find more information at EmbraceFamilies.org.

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Take the pledge to check-in at TheCheckInProject.org