Vigilant Voices™ hosted by Jeannine Panzera and Kristin Blalock from Henrico CASA

There are many 'Vigilant Voices' in our community, speaking up for the wellbeing of children. Today, we welcome Anna Shenk, Co-Director of For Richmond.⁠⁠⁠

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠.

There is a long list of risk factors that can increase the

Learn the FIVE protective factors that you can help incorporate into families' lives.

For reference,

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Cinderella was the lone recipient of her stepmother's abuse... as are "target children" in real life stories. If you see signs of abuse, neglect, or trauma in one child, but not their siblings, don't talk yourself out of reporting the abuse. There most definitely could be something going on in that home.

In today's episode we reference this Psychology Today article about scapegoating.

You will also need this link to check out Dave Pelzer's "A Child Called "It", the book we ask you to read for today's call to action.

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

There are many 'Vigilant Voices' in our community, speaking up for the wellbeing of children. Today, we welcome Valerie L'Herrou⁠, Deputy Director of the Center for Family Advocacy at the Virginia Poverty Law Center. ⁠

We hope our guest episodes help you feel connected to a community of people who, like you, have a heart for supporting children.

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:

⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠.

Prolonged stress with no release impacts a child’s developing body and mind... so much so that it hinders important neurological connections from forming. And living with racism or facing injustice is a significant stressor. So connecting the dots, racism is a form of trauma that negatively impacts child development.

See the science behind this connection at Harvard University's Center for the Developing Child:

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Children are equipped to handle healthy doses of stress, but chronic, ongoing stress has a wear and tear effect on their developing bodies and brains. For children dealing with toxic stress, the one true stress buster is the presence of a stable adult in their life.

Explore this topic more with these resources:

You could be the one – the caring, consistent adult – by volunteering your time with Henrico CASA as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Learn more at HenricoCASA.org/advocate/

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠⁠ and on social media:  ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠.

There are many 'Vigilant Voices' in our community, speaking up for the wellbeing of children. Today, we welcome Allison Gilbreath, Sr. Director of Policy and Programs at Voices for Virginia's Children.

Use the links below to follow-up on Allison's call to action!

We hope our guest episodes help you feel connected to a community of people who, like you, have a heart for supporting children.

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠ and on social media:

⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠.

Children and their families feel the effects of high level legislation every day... even if they don't realize it! Join us as we walk through the high level systems and policies that impact the well-being of children.

You can influence the legislative process! Take a first step, today, by signing up for Virginia Voices for Kids' email updates regarding their advocacy work with the General Assembly. Sign-up here.

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠⁠ and on social media:  ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠.

Happy New Year! Before looking ahead to 2024, we pause to reflect on the vision, mission and values that we are carrying into the new year. What do you value? What is most important to you? What impact do you want to have on the well-being of children this year?

Great things to come in 2024!

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠ and on social media:  ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.

There are many 'Vigilant Voices' in our community, speaking up for the wellbeing of children. Today, we welcome Eric Reynolds⁠. As the first ever Director of Virginia's Office of the Children's Ombudsman, he has a voice at not only the local level, but the state level, as well.

We hope our guest episodes help you feel connected to a community of people who, like you, have a heart for supporting children.

*****

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠ and on social media: ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.