Child Protection Center Awarded Funds for Child Abuse Services

November 18, 2024 | Sarasota

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) is awarded $90,000 from the McCune Family Foundation to support their mission of the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse.

Since its inception in 1980, the Child Protection Center has worked to protect thousands of children each year. The four core programs that work towards the mission of CPC include: Personal Safety and Community Awareness (PSCA), Child Protection Team (CPT), Children and Families Supervised Visitation Program (CFSVP), and Therapy programs. Last fiscal year the Child Protection Center served over 65,000 individuals.

PSCA provides primary abuse prevention education to children from preschool through high school. The program also facilitates workshops on sexual child abuse prevention, internet safety, and properly identifying and reporting suspected abuse for caregivers, childcare professionals, teachers, school board staff, and the greater community. CPT is a legislatively mandated program working in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families and local law enforcement agencies in cases of children who are suspected victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect. This multidisciplinary program provides expertise in evaluating allegations of abuse and neglect, assessing risk factors, and providing recommendations for interventions to protect children. CFSVP provides a safe place for children to interact with their parents. Over 70 Sarasota County citizens serve as CFSVP volunteers, who supervise visitation between children and families who have been identified as being at heightened risk of physical or emotional harm due to parenting behaviors. The Therapy programs serve children and adult survivors of child physical and sexual abuse at no cost, with a trauma treatment focus that helps them lead a healthy, restored life.