How To Help
Small Victims Need BIG Friends
Senate Bill 9 went into effect. Summary:
- Allows local school health advisory councils (SHACs) to recommend instruction regarding child abuse, family violence, dating violence, and sex trafficking, if it is age/grade-level appropriate curriculum that does not conflict with standards set by the State Board of Education and is in accordance with the requirements outlined below.
- Requires that school boards develop policies and procedures for the adoption of new curriculum, including holding public meetings, having “academic experts” review the curriculum, and seeking the advice of the local SHAC. The additional requirements for child sexual abuse education referenced in the bill are subject to the same degree of transparency as human sexuality education, and include notice to parents, posting the curriculum on the school district’s website, allowing parents to purchase a copy of the curriculum, etc.
- Before each school year, the district must provide notice of the instruction to parents and allow for parents to opt their child out of instruction. Additionally, parents must provide written consent if they agree to allow their child to receive the instruction.
If your school would like to receive prevention education presentations, please invite us to present an overview of the curriculum to your SHAC committee. You can read the entirety of SB9 here.
Programs for PTA’S, Teachers, Churches, Civic and Professional Organizations:
We would love the opportunity to come and talk to your group, church, or school at no cost to you. Interested in having us talk to your group?
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Child Sex Trafficking
This 1 to 1.5-hour training is geared toward those who work in schools and child-serving organizations. This training is also presented to community members who want to learn to recognize and report. This training covers:
- Warning signs of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment including children with cognitive disabilities
- Procedures for seeking assistance for a child who is at risk.
- Techniques for reducing a child’s risk
Happy Bear
“Happy Bear” is an interactive 30-minute play that introduces the basics of recognizing, resisting, and reporting child abuse. The presentation teaches children what welcome, and unwelcome touches are. Children learn that they can say “no” and move away if someone gives them an unwelcome touch. Most importantly, they learn who safe adults are and that they need to tell a safe adult if anyone gives them an unwelcome touch. This presentation is appropriate for children pre-k through 1st grade. Sunflower House created “Happy Bear”.
Play it Safe!
Play it Safe! Is a child abuse awareness and prevention program that incorporates age-appropriate scripts and movies to teach children to recognize potentially abusive behavior. It also provides them with tools to respond to threatening situations and encourages them to report abuse to a trusted adult. The presentations we offer are Abusive Relationships, Aiden’s Discovery, An Abuse of Power, Relationships: Paint Them Healthy. For more information click here
Child and Teen Safety Matters
This is a program designed by the Monique Burr Foundation for students in 1st-12th grades. These lessons are evidence-based, and educate and protect children and teens from all types of bullying, abuse, and victimization. The curriculum utilizes a two-lesson format. For more information click here.
P.S. It’s My Body!
P.S. It’s My Body! is an innovative practical safety curriculum for children designed by Sunflower House to teach and reinforce the three R’s of personal safety, Recognizing, Resisting, and Reporting. This presentation is appropriate for children in 1st-5th grades. This is a 30 minute presentation.
All presentations meet Texas Education Code Section 38.004
If you would like to see our presentation sequence and how we see all of these presentations fitting together in the school system click here
Still not finding what you’re looking for?
If you have a special talent you would like to share, we need you! (Photography, baking, web design, graphic design, etc.)
If you are interested in volunteering please either contact the Outreach and Event Coordinator for more information, fill out an online application, or download the volunteer application.
We Can Use Your Help
There are many ways you can support the PRCAC. Some of your options are monetary and others are helping us build awareness.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Paluxy River Volunteer Program strengthens services, through volunteer resources, to abused children and their families in Hood, Erath, and Somervell Counties.
Family Care Volunteer
When children are brought to the Paluxy River Children’s Advocacy Center (PRCAC) to receive a forensic interview, Family Care volunteers (FC’s) welcome these child clients and their non-offending family members to our center. FC’s appropriately interact with families to provide comfort and support while maintaining client confidentiality. FC’s provide supervision for clients of the PRCAC in a fun, child friendly setting. The primary goal of the FC is to help make our child clients feel welcome and comfortable while visiting our agency. FC shifts are usually three to four hours in length and are during the week (Monday through Friday), between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. Interested individuals must submit a completed Volunteer Application Packet and submit to a criminal background check. Our screening process includes an interview and file review before acceptance into the FC program.
Paluxy Partners
Paluxy Partners provide a variety of support for our agency including: staffing our agency information booth at health fairs, assisting with Child Abuse Prevention Month activities during April, helping with fundraisers (Heroes with Handbags), assisting with our annual Christmas for Children party, and providing support at other activities involving the agency. Paluxy Partners sign up for events and activities throughout the year. Events can be during the week, after hours, and on weekends, depending on the specific activity. All individuals interested in serving as a Paluxy Partner must submit a completed Volunteer Application Packet and submit to a criminal background check. Our screening process includes an interview and file review before acceptance into the Paluxy Partners program.
