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Mission:
To
promote healthy, happy families by reducing the occurrence
and effects of child abuse and neglect.
Purpose:
The Family Center strives to significantly reduce the
occurrence and reoccurrence of child maltreatment in Middle
Tennessee. Child maltreatment is defined as the physical,
sexual and/or emotional abuse or neglect of children.
During 2004, the latest national reporting year, U.S. child
protective service agencies substantiated 906,000 cases of
children abused or neglected. The actual incidence of abuse
and neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the
number reported to authorities, meaning the real number is
approximately 2,718,000. Each year more than 12,000 children
under the age of 18 are abused or neglected in Middle
Tennessee (Davidson and abutting counties). This is a
staggering number that we work diligently to reduce, both
now and in the future.
We do so by providing three levels of prevention.
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At the
first level, we raise
community awareness of abuse and neglect.
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At the
second level we
identify and intervene with those who are at risk of
abusing or neglecting their children.
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At the
third level
of prevention
we work with parents and children where abuse or neglect
has already occurred to ensure that it does not reoccur
and that its negative effects are mitigated.
Even though our two main
offices
are in Davidson and Rutherford Counties, we serve
individuals throughout Middle Tennessee.
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