Parental involvement in education and school innovation have taken on new meanings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and caregivers are not only managing the impact of the public health crisis on their work lives and financial well-being, they are also navigating incorporating school into their homes. Meanwhile, teachers learned new software platforms and transformed physical classrooms into virtual learning spaces into a matter of days. After several weeks of educating in this new reality, Education Service Center Region-20 hosted a virtual meeting focused on community and school safety and mental health during COVID-19. Region 20 assembled a panel of experts to give updates on COVID-19, along with child abuse, human trafficking, online safety, and resources to support the mental health needs of students, parents/caregivers, and teachers.
In recognition of the unprecedented stress parents and caregivers are experiencing during this time, UT Health San Antonio Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics launched a Keep Calm and Parent On campaign. The campaign offers tips and perspectives for caregivers on managing stress during this time with the ultimate goal of preventing child abuse and neglect. UT Health also issued a recommendation about organizing several layers of childcare in the event a caregiver falls ill and must be quarantined or hospitalized.
Representatives from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Ransomed Life emphasized the need for caregivers to be extra vigilant about online safety. The significant increase in young people being online also increases their exposure to predators. The FBI has issued background information about online exploitation and child abuse awareness as well as recommendations for prevention and reporting. The organizations reviewed the wealth of resources and virtual events available to help parents and caregivers understand online dangers to their children and how to talk to them about it.
Resources: Lures & Lies is an interactive presentation designed by Ransomed Life to educate 11-17 year-old youth on the issue of local child trafficking. Our goals are to uncover the truth of human trafficking, expose the lures and lies, expose the traffickers, learn smart decisions, and to spur the youth to action! NetSmartz.org for prevention and education materials. KidSmartz.org for personal safety and empowerment/abduction prevention.
All representatives emphasized that in this new “normal” the most important thing to remember is the community of people and organizations that are ready to help.
