SAN ANTONIO — The second annual Family Alliance Council Conference of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on child abuse prevention will be held from 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Oct. 5 in San Antonio.
The conference will take place at the TriPoint Center, located at 3233 North St. Mary’s Street.
The Family Alliance Council Conference of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on child abuse awareness and prevention will be held Oct. 5 at TriPoint Center in San Antonio. It will serve as professional learning opportunity for youth advocates, social workers, human services employees and others who work with children. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)
The Blue Ribbon Task Force is led by State Sen. Carlos Uresti in collaboration with the Family Alliance Council, an organization of youth-oriented agencies, academic, health, family, human services and other organizations. It is administered through the Texas AgriLife Extension Service office in Bexar County.
“This conference will be of benefit for all those with an interest in the welfare of children, including youth advocates, social workers, human and child services agency employees, PTA officials and others,” said Dr. Connie Sheppard, AgriLife Extension agent for family and consumer sciences, Bexar County. “In addition to being a conference about the awareness and prevention of child abuse, this also is a professional learning opportunity offering free social work continuing education units.”
Sheppard said in 2010 the number of children who died from abuse or neglect in Texas increased to 280, and that during 2009, 13 children died of abuse or neglect-related incidents in San Antonio and Bexar County.
“Here in Bexar County and across Texas, there has been an unsettling increase in child abuse and neglect,” Uresti said. “The purpose of the Blue Ribbon Task Force Conference is to raise awareness of this alarming trend and explore the direct actions we must take to address it. Attendees should come away with a wider perspective on both child abuse awareness and prevention.”
Sheppard said the conference will begin with registration and a continental breakfast, followed by a welcome and showing of the short film “Familias en Accion & Mujeres Nobles.”
Uresti will speak from 9-9:30 a.m., followed by a presentation called “CPS (Child Protective Services): Putting the Pieces Together.” Three concurrent workshops will be held from 10:45-11:45 a.m. on parenting, communicating with families, and advocacy and legislation.
Lunch will be from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. and will include a guest speaker. After lunch, a final session will focus on networking, resources and evaluations, and will conclude at 1:30 p.m.
The conference is $35 per participant or $245 for a table of eight.
Registration will be limited to the first 100 registrants , Sheppard said, and online registration is encouraged by going to https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/.
-30-
