New River Valley Child Advocacy Resources Education And Services

Programs: Parent education offers three programs to the community: parenting young children, circle of parents, and parenting through separation and divorce. Parenting young children provided eight-week parenting courses to 111 parents/caregivers of children under the age of six, using the step curriculum. Child care and meals are provided. 95% reported an increase in knowledge of concepts covered. Circle of parents offered a weekly support group to eight parents/caregivers of children of any age. 100% reporting increased coping skills. Parenting through separation and divorce provided four-hour seminars to 120 parents/caregivers co-parenting a child or children. 95% reporting an increased ability to co-parent or parallel parent. 3,776 service hours were provided.

casa (court appointed special advocates) of the new river valley recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate for safe, permanent placements of children involved in child abuse/neglect court cases. Assigned by the presiding judge, casa volunteers research the child's situation and provide detailed reports to the courts. Judges are able to make well informed decisions regarding the placement of the child. 120 abused/neglected children received advocacy per virginia code sectio

community education programs target all ages and inform about issues regarding child abuse/neglect in the new river valley. Hugs and kisses (a play shown in elementary schools addressing the serious issue of child sexual abuse in an appropriate manner), stewards of children (trains adult employees and volunteers of youth-serving organizations to prevent, recognize, and respond to child sexual abuse), community presentations (around the issues of child abuse/neglect and nrv cares programs), and p