Work to prevent child abuse

It's a tragic fact that nearly 200,000 children in Texas are reported as abused or neglected every year; don't walk away.

April is Child Abuse Prevention month. It's a time to focus on ways not only to protect children but also to prevent abuse from ever occurring. This is your opportunity to make a difference in young lives.

Neglect is the most frequent form of child abuse. Yes, children die simply because they're put in situations where they are not supervised.

We all know law enforcement cannot prevent all crime. We cannot expect the state's Child Protective Services to stop all child abuse and neglect. In fact, in the majority of the most tragic cases of child abuse -- those in which a child died -- Child Protective Services had no opportunity to impact the safety of the child at risk. Maybe it was a situation that people outside the family couldn't see. Possibly the child's parent didn't realize that their own action, or lack thereof, put the child's life at risk. We all have to recognize neglect and not walk away from it.

Parents are not alone. Information and support is available to make communities strong and safe. The Web site www.itsuptoyou.org contains a wealth of information on how to prevent child abuse, where to go to get help with parenting skills, and what to do if you suspect a child is in danger. Additionally, volunteers from the Lampasas County CPS board are in the community sharing information from Child Abuse Prevention Kits. Contact your local Child Protective Services office or the CPS board to get more information. It's up to all of us to prevent child abuse. We must work to put our children first, safe and secure.

Jacqueline Pickard

CPS chairman