OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is seeing an uptick in child abuse and neglect cases across the state.
During the pandemic, kids had been at house and fewer cases had been being reported. But, now as college students are again in faculty and doing extracurriculars once more, these numbers are going again up.
“Some of that can be tied in with the economic situation families face. When people are stressed out, sometimes they will take that out on their family members and especially younger kids. And so that’s why it’s important for people to pay attention to what’s going on around them,” mentioned Joe Dorman, CEO for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy.
A problem the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is now going through is discovering a spot for the kids to go.
“It’s not just the reports of abuse and neglect, but when kids are taken into custody because of some issue, it’s trying to find a good place for them to be located,” mentioned Dorman.
They are additionally in want of extra foster dad and mom across Oklahoma.
“We need families involved in these kids’ lives… The need of what we’re facing with thousands of kids taken into the custody of the state and placed in a home, whether it be a foster parent or a family member providing services to help take care of that child,” mentioned Dorman.
Joe Dorman, the CEO for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy mentioned some Oklahoma children have been moved out of state to locations like Tennessee as a result of excessive conditions.
“They’re called level E facilities. Those are the enhanced cases where kids are very difficult to deal with, severe emotional problems. And we do have some level of facilities in the state, but not enough to handle the load of what we face,” mentioned Dorman.
Dorman additionally mentioned one of the best ways to inform if a child might need assistance is by watching their habits.
“You can tell from the behavior if somebody is mistreating a child when they’re out public, if they jerk them along… But you can tell the difference between a bruise from playing around and a bruise that may have been inflicted by an adult. And so just be vigilant and pay attention to those signs and call the proper authorities if you notice something suspicious,” mentioned Dorman.
The finest strategy to report it’s by contacting both the DHS hotline or native authorities.
“During this time with the restoration from the pandemic, with the financial circumstances individuals are going through, it’s necessary to be concerned in folks’s lives. Let’s not let this case go additional. If you’ll be able to provide a serving to hand to relations and be concerned in the lives of those children, that’s most likely going to be one of the best prevention that you are able to do, is simply being there to assist these households get by way of the stress and the struggles that they’re going through, mentioned Dorman.
This week the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy will probably be internet hosting a Fall Forum. Attendees will hear from lawmakers about interim research being carried out on the State Capitol, plus discuss passing payments to assist fight the rise of cases across the state.
If you want to register for that, click here for extra information.
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