Mariposa Safe Families

Promoting Safe & Healthy Families

5078 Bullion Street • PO Box 545 • Mariposa, CA 95338 • 209-966-2211 • FAX 209-966-7594 • msf@sti.net

News

Toni Southwood – Outstanding Parent Leader
MSF, the Shared Leadership Committee and the North County FEC Task Force are pleased to announce that Toni Southwood is the 2008 Outstanding Parent Leader in Mariposa County. Toni was nominated for her leadership in Mariposa Mothers Against School Hazing (MMASH) and her efforts to prevent bullying. She and the nominees were honored at the February 19th Board of Supervisors meeting. A plaque will be awarded to Toni at Safe At Home on April 19th. The nominees were Penny Long, Leslie Davis, Shannon LeDuc, Beth Tomsick, Cheryl Wright and Andrea Rogerson.

Annual Report Released
Mariposa Safe Families has released its 2006-2007 Annual Report. Click here to view our summary of accomplishments.

FEC Planning Moves Forward
A Task Force of Coulterville and Greeley Hill residents is actively engaged in the development of a Family Enrichment Center (FEC) for north Mariposa County. A Family Enrichment Center, also known as a Family Resource Center, is a welcoming place where people can find services and activities that will support and enrich their families. This will be the first in a network of centers envisioned for Mariposa County. For more information or to get involved in a Task Force contact Mariposa Safe Families, 966-2211 or msf@sti.net.

Events, Meetings

The Mariposa Safe Families, Inc. Board of Directors meets at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Please call 966-2211 for meeting location.

Shared Leadership Committee meets from 6:00–7:00 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at Head Start, 5058 Jones Street, to provide a venue for parents and staff to work in partnership to improve services offered to children and families.

Child Abuse Interagency Coordination Committee meets from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. the 1st Wednesday of Jan., Feb., April, May, July, Aug., Oct. and Nov. at St. Joseph’s Parish Hall. The committee’s purpose is to provide a forum for interagency cooperation and coordination in preventing and responding to child abuse in Mariposa County. Call MSF for information.

The Discovery Center, a MCUSD Community Connections program supported by MSF, is a place to experience science, math and technology in a fun and motivating way. The Discovery Center is located below the high school and next to Head Start at 4971 8th Street. Call 209-742-0240 for hours of operation and other information.

Sponsors

Mariposa Safe Families receives funding and support from The California Endowment, the California Office of Child Abuse Prevention, and Stonecutter.

PARENTING TIPS
Soothing a crying infant
Surviving toilet training

Time out
Understanding your child's behavior
Dealing with temper tantrums

Being a nurturing parent
The power of choice
Grandparents raising grandchildren

Setting rules & consequences
Winning the chore war
Sibling rivalry

Recognizing child abuse and neglect
Reporting child abuse and neglect
Adobe Reader opens these tips.

Mariposa Safe Families promotes safe and healthy families in order to prevent child abuse in Mariposa County by guiding effective prevention efforts and strategies and advocating for a coordinated community response.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month





…to make a difference in the life of a child
We all have a role in helping make sure that children have the safe, healthy and nurturing environments they deserve to grow up in. Everyone who knows a child can take a minute to brighten the child’s day or show him or her that you care. Of course there are many things that children need that take much more time than a minute but we’d like to focus on the small acts of kindness and support that everyone can do.

It only takes a minute…
Safe At Home – April 19, 2008
Safe At Home in North County – June 7, 2008
Mariposa Safe Families will hold the annual Safe At Home fair at the Mariposa Elementary School campus Saturday, April 19, 2008. This community supported fair provides a warm, friendly and fun environment giving families of Mariposa County valuable information on community resources. Safe At Home includes fun and interactive games for children and families. There will be free food as well as activities and giveaways generously provided by local agencies and organizations. This year, for the first time, a Safe At Home fair will be held with the north Mariposa County communities in the Coulterville County Park on June 7th. For more information contact Mariposa Safe Families.

Community Link — A service for Mariposa County
Community Link connects people to services and opportunities throughout Mariposa County. It is available in multiple forms: website, call-in and walk-in. Community Link is the first step in developing a Family Resource Center. Don't know what a Family Resource Center is? Here's an explanation of family resource centers. Visit Strategies, funded by California Department of Social Services to serve FRCs, to take a virtual tour of one.

For more information contact Mariposa Safe Families, 966-2211 or link@sti.net.

Keeping Your Children Safe on the Internet
The following websites provide valuable information for parents and other concerned adults to protect children from online predators.

NetSmartz411 This very informative website is one you really want to check out. This site is parents’ and guardians’ premier online resource for answering questions about Internet safety, computers and the Web.

iKeepSafe The Internet Keep Safe Coalition group teaches basic rules of Internet safety to children and parents, reaching them online and in school. Governors and/or first spouses formed this coalition in partnership with a growing list of crime prevention organizations, law-enforcement agencies, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The iKeepSafe.org website uses an animated icon/mascot named Faux Paw the Techno Cat to teach children the importance of protecting personal information and avoiding inappropriate places on the Internet.

CyberSmart! The CyberSmart! School Program develops curricula and training programs for professional development designed to help educators empower students to take full advantage of computers and the Internet. The site contains Internet safety information for students, parents, and educators, and includes lesson plans, activity sheets, downloadable posters, and safety tips.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children This site provides information on general child safety and Internet safety for children, parents, educators, law enforcement, and the community.

SafeKids This site contains information for children, parents, teachers, and officials on Internet safety and Internet family resources.

Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Project for Mariposa County
Mariposa Safe Families, with support from First 5 Mariposa County, is conducting a prevention effort to educate current or future parents and caregivers about Shaken Baby Syndrome. Educational materials and technical support are available by calling or emailing Mariposa Safe Families.

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) results from injuries caused by someone vigorously shaking an infant. The perpetrators in SBS cases are almost always parents or caregivers who shake the baby out of frustration or stress when the little one is crying inconsolably. The potential outcome is generally severe brain damage or death.

SBS is 100% preventable — there are many things you can do to prevent it:

Remember, no matter how angry or impatient you feel — never shake a baby. EVER. For more information contact Mariposa Safe Families or dontshake.org.


Definition of Child Abuse

Child abuse includes physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment and exposure to violence and the abuse of others.

The numbers

Each day in the United States, more than 3 children die as a result of child abuse in the home and most of the children who die are younger than 5 years of age.

More children (age four and younger) die from child abuse and neglect than any other single, leading cause of death for infants and young children.

In the year 2001, an average of 2,475 children were found to be victims of child abuse each day. And this abuse and neglect is associated with short- and long-term consequences that affect not only the child and family, but society as a whole.

Prevent Child Abuse America has estimated the costs of child abuse and neglect based on data from a variety of sources, at $24,384,347,302 for hospitalization, chronic health problems, mental health care, child welfare services, law enforcement and judicial system.

Substantiated Counts of child abuse in Mariposa County over a five year average = 20.88 per 1000 per year. Close to every other week there is a substantiated case of child abuse in Mariposa. To put Mariposa's statistics in relation to the state: Mariposa has 20.88 cases per 1000 of children 0-17 per year, for years 1998 to 2002, as compared to California's 12.1 per 1000.

What you can do

Report child abuse or neglect if you suspect it by calling Mariposa County Department of Human Services-Family Services at (209) 966-3030 during regular business hours or the Mariposa County Sheriff's office at 966-3615 evenings, weekends and holidays.

Educate yourself and others by reading brochures and pamphlets from Mariposa Safe Families, First 5, Child Welfare Services, and other agencies. Check out the Library and the Web under the topic.

Strengthen your community by supporting local activities, service clubs and organizations and by connecting with others. Activities that strengthen communities contribute to the wellbeing of children.

Participate in Mariposa Safe Families as a Community Partner, Committee Member or Board Member.

Donate to Mariposa Safe Families and other organizations that support children.

Purchase a California Kids Plate at the DMV or visit www.kidsplates.org. Your vehicle license plate will show that you ♥ kids while promoting their safety and preventing child abuse.
©2004-2007 Mariposa Safe Families & STONECUTTER • Website by STONECUTTER