Prevent Child Abuse Illinois

Prevent Child Abuse Illinois provides key leadership for child abuse prevention throughout Illinois by providing prevention awareness and education, community outreach, public policy advocacy, and the promotion of prevention programs. Prevent Child Abuse Illinois provides primary prevention programs that promote healthy child development, encourages positive parenting skills, and prevents child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place. Our programs include: Child sexual abuse prevention, including the Stewards of Children curriculum; Promoting infant safety through Happiest Baby on the Block, Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) prevention, and promoting safe sleep environments; Substance abuse and Families, including facilitation of DCFS/SUPR groups, leadership for the Illinois DEC (Drug Endangered Children) Alliance, leadership for the Metro East Meth and other Drugs Conference, and cross training as it relates to child abuse and substance abuse; Childhood Trauma by promoting the understanding of ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study) and use of Trauma Informed Care principles by providing resources, training and technical assistance, and participating in community coalitions; The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children, facilitating cross training and technical assistance; Child Abuse Prevention Month by providing public awareness and education activities addressing child abuse and neglect and promoting child and family well-being; Child Abuse Prevention Coalitions throughout Illinois to address the needs of local communities; and Prevention Awareness Literature Distribution program that provides brochures and resource material for parents and professionals on multiple child abuse prevention topics.

The Annual Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Statewide Conference is a 2-day conference with 3 plenary sessions, 24 breakout sessions, an awards luncheon, resource tables, and professional networking opportunities. It also provides a home visiting track of workshops embedded within the conference breakout sessions. The conference offers access to national speakers and cutting-edge information in the field of child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention and best practices and provides eligible attendees with continuing education credits. The conference rotates between Springfield and the Chicago area and is attended by over 450 participants.

Home visitation is a strategy that is essential to enhancing support for our country's youngest children. Program staff work with all types of home visiting services including Parents As Teachers, Early Head Start, Healthy Families Illinois, Nurse-Family Partnership, Baby Talk and others. Staff serve on the Healthy Families Illinois Workgroup, its Executive Committee, and co-chair its Public Awareness Committee. Staff facilitate regional networking groups, provide training, provide specific home visiting workshops and other opportunities at our annual conference, and support multiple partnerships working on Early Childhood Education and home visiting collaboration including maintaining federal funding for home visitation services.