Wynona’s House Launches Annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Campaign to Promote Healing and Justice for Child Victims of Abuse and Neglect in Essex County

Apr 20, 2024 | Business

 In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center (CAC), alongside National Children’s Alliance and other accredited CACs, is promoting the theme “It’s Your Business.” Wynona’s House launched its first digital billboard campaign to raise awareness of the services the CAC provides that directly benefit families in Essex County. There are three billboards in Newark; one is located close to Wynona’s House and the other two are located on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The mission of Wynona’s House is to promote justice and healing of child victims of abuse and violence by coordinating investigative, prosecutorial, treatment, and prevention services. Wynona’s House helps create a community where children are safe, families are strong, and victims become children again. Over the last 24 years, Wynona’s House has provided service and support to 12,323 child victims, 11,565 siblings and family members, and 10,761 parents and caregivers. 

As part of its 25th year of service, Wynona’s House will be relaunching its Steel Magnolia fundraising and friend-raising event which will feature a game night. The Steel Magnolia Soiree will take place on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge, 219 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Advocates and supporters have waited patiently for the return of this event since 2020. Visit the event website to purchase tickets, sponsor the soiree, or underwrite a portion of the event: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E353019&id=29

“As we joyfully mark 25 years of dedicated service to Essex County, the Steel Magnolia Soiree will unite more than 200 supporters in celebrating our many milestones, leaders, and champions, while strengthening our shared commitment to the future,” stated Robert Crocker, Interim CEO, Wynona’s House, Essex County’s Child Advocacy Center. “Together, we will raise essential funds to sustain our unwavering community response to child abuse, offering children and families the hope, healing, and justice they deserve during their most challenging times.”

Attendees and sponsors will serve as partners in Wynona’s House’s mission to build a brighter future for the children of Essex County. For more information, contact Executive Administrative Assistant Donna Brown at dbrown@wynonashouse.org or 973-953-1110.

For more information about Essex County’s Child Advocacy Center, visit wynonashouse.org.

About Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center
Wynona’s House is an incorporated 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization named in honor of its legislative champion, the late Senator Wynona Lipman, who helped develop the center to promote hope, healing, and justice for the child victims of abuse and neglect in Essex County by coordinating investigation, prosecution, treatment, prevention, and supportive services utilizing the “child-centered” multidisciplinary team approach. Located in Newark, Wynona’s House is the first fully co-located Child Advocacy Center in New Jersey, serving the residents of Essex County and providing direct services to child victims and their families in more than 950 cases of child abuse and neglect each year. For more information about Wynona’s House visit wynonashouse.org.

Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center
LisaMarie Gaeta
973-753-1110
https://wynonashouse.org

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Hong Kong – Couple charged with murder and ill-treatment or neglect of child by a person in charge of that child

May 3, 2023 | International

Couple charged with murder and ill-treatment or neglect of child by a person in charge of that child

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     Police today (May 2) laid charges against a 30-year-old foreign man and his 26-year-old foreign wife jointly with one count of murder and one count of ill-treatment or neglect of child by a person in charge of that child.

     Police received a report from hospital staff on August 25, 2019 that a 48-day-old boy collapsed and sustained bruises on face and femur fracture. His parents were arrested for ill-treatment or neglect of child by a person in charge of that child on the same day. The boy was certified dead in Princess Margaret Hospital on August 30, 2019.

     Child Abuse Investigation Unit of Kowloon West took over the case. Pursuant to the legal advice, Police laid charge against the couple with one count of murder and one count of ill-treatment or neglect of child by a person in charge of that child.

     The case will be mentioned at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (May 3) morning.

Hong Kong – Tuen Mun Wu Hong Maternal and Child Health Centre suspends service

Nov 1, 2022 | International

Tuen Mun Wu Hong Maternal and Child Health Centre suspends service

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     The Department of Health today (November 1) said that due to water leakage from the ceiling at Tuen Mun Wu Hong Maternal and Child Health Centre (MCHC) this afternoon, the service of the MCHC has been suspended until further notice for urgent repair works. Those who have made appointments will be informed of their new appointments after the service adjustment.


Hong Kong – “Let’s T.A.L.K. – Child Protection Campaign 2022” kicks off today (with photos)

Oct 14, 2022 | International

“Let’s T.A.L.K. – Child Protection Campaign 2022” kicks off today (with photos)

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     The Police Force launched “Let’s T.A.L.K. – Child Protection Campaign 2022” at an opening ceremony held at Whitty Street Tram Depot today (October 14). Last year, Police mounted its first ever large-scale education and publicity campaign on child protection and has garnered overwhelming public support. As such, the Force organises another round of territory-wide campaign this year with the theme “Bystander Intervention”, to promote the importance of early intervention when encountering child abuse cases.

      

     Addressing at the opening ceremony, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee, said that although the number of child abuse cases reported in the first eight months of this year is similar to the figures for the same period last year, the emergence of a number of serious child abuse cases has aroused concern. Mr Siu stressed that Police attach great importance to child protection. Over the past year, the Force has kept reviewing and improving the handling procedures for child abuse cases. He added that the Vulnerable Witness Support Cadre was set up in July this year, and the Force has continuously strengthened staff training and enhanced collaboration with different stakeholders with a view to protecting children and the vulnerable from abuse and harm. At the Government level, the legislation on a mandatory reporting mechanism of child abuse cases has been speeded up while consultation work will start in November this year.

      

     Mr Siu then introduced the two themed trams where the mobile exhibition will be held during the campaign period. While saying that the tram, “Ding Ding”, is an icon of the city with long history, as well as representing the spirit of mutual help and caring, he hoped that the sound of its bell could also arouse public awareness on child protection.

      

     The Child Protection Campaign 2022 will be held from today until November 20, during which a series of activities will be arranged, including the tram mobile exhibition, enhancement of the child protection one-stop application (www.ChildProtection.gov.hk) and a new series of animations to provide knowledge and practical information on child protection. Collaborating with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit and the Psychological Services Group of the Police Force will also organise art workshops and badge design competitions for senior primary students, as well as social experiments to awaken the general public to come forward when encountering child abuse cases instead of being a bystander.

      

     Other officiating guests attending today’s ceremony were the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li; the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Department of Justice, Ms Maggie Yang; the Deputy Director of Social Welfare (Services), Mr Kok Che-leung; the Ambassador of the Child Protection Campaign, Ms Guo Jingjing; the Director of Against Child Abuse, Ms Donna Wong; the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Yuen Yuk-kin; the Director of Crime and Security, Mr Yip Wan-lung; the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Ms Chung Wing-man; and Chief Superintendent (Crime Support), Ms Yu Hoi-kwan.

Hong Kong – SWD deploys designated team to child care centre to follow up on suspected child maltreatment incident

Jan 14, 2022 | International

SWD deploys designated team to child care centre to follow up on suspected child maltreatment incident

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     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) continues to follow up on a suspected child maltreatment incident that took place in a residential child care centre in Mong Kok last December. A designated team, comprising social workers, nurses and personnel with experience in supervising child care centres, will be deployed by the SWD to the centre concerned starting from next Monday (January 17). The team, which will be stationed at the centre every day, will closely monitor the centre’s daily operation on the ground to ensure that its operation measures up to the required service standard and that effective improvement measures have been put in place to provide children with proper care. The team will operate until the improvement measures and the operation of the centre meet the requirements of the SWD.



     Since the incident, the SWD has taken a series of actions, including sending an interdisciplinary team comprising more than 20 clinical psychologists, nurses, social workers, etc, to the child care centre concerned on December 27, 2021, to conduct investigations, inspect the operation and work records of the centre, and observe the behaviour, health and emotional status of each of the 70 children in the centre to ensure that the children were in stable condition.



     In addition, the SWD met with the executive committee and the management of the organisation which operates the service unit concerned on December 28, 2021, to receive a briefing by the organisation on its handling of the incident and follow-up actions.



     The SWD has also stepped up inspections at the centre and continued investigations on the incident. Warning letters and directives for remedial measures were issued to the organisation, requesting it to strengthen its supervision and monitoring of frontline staff. The organisation is also required to submit a review report by January 25.



     The SWD will continue to follow up on the incident in a serious manner. Subject to the investigation results on different fronts, the SWD may take further regulatory actions in accordance with the laws.