TRM CALL TO ACTION!

 

IFSP safety statements and IEP Safety Objectives in the Educational Planning Documents of Children with Exceptionalities

 

We Need YOUR help, however, we must all be aware of a problem before we can address it…

 

Children with exceptionalities are among the most vulnerable members of society (UNICEFF, 2013). It is currently estimated that 25+% of children with exceptionalities will experience maltreatment (i.e., neglect & abuse) between birth and 18 years of age (Jones et al, 2012). Children between the ages of birth and five years are the most likely to experience maltreatment (Child Maltreatment, 2015). Maltreatment perpetrators are most often individuals with the greatest access to a child, i.e., members of the child’s family, relatives, neighbors, friends and trusted community individuals (e.g., church officials, coaches, teachers, etc.). The maltreatment experience often results in significant health, social, learning, behavioral and achievement problems (Crowley, 2016; Fisher, 2016) that can persist through an individual’s life (CDC, 2016).

The first steps in taking action are to:

a) Share the attached document with  a friend/colleague

b) Consistently “check in” with your children/students (i.e., what they are doing and how they are feeling)

c) Trust your gut, when you think a child/student may be experiencing maltreatment – ACT! See link, below re: “Level 2” for guidance on what to do when taking action.

 

The OUR Children Project and Hands and Voices are asking for your help in disseminating the important information linked, below. You can play a key role in taking action to support ALL students by reading and disseminating the information in the Safety Letter, below!

 

Read/Access the Safety Letter, HERE!

 

PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!