Dear Friends,

Fall has arrived, and like many of you, I’m enjoying the changing colors and cooler weather - definitely a welcome change from summer! With October here, I’d like to highlight two important observances: Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month. Both are incredibly significant, and I encourage all of us to engage in conversations and initiatives that promote awareness and support for families. You’ll find more information and resources on both topics in this newsletter.

Last week, we held our 30th Annual Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Statewide Conference in Springfield and it was an incredible event! Over 500 of you joined us for two days filled with learning, networking, and sharing resources. Our conference theme, “Prevention in Partnership: Empowering Families and Communities,” truly came to life as we shared ideas, formed new connections, and strengthened our partnerships.

Thank you for being an essential part of our mission. Your continued partnership and support are greatly appreciated!

Warm regards,

Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children Training

Stewards of Children is a 2-hour training that teaches adults how to recognize, react responsibly, and prevent child sexual abuse. This training, developed by Darkness to Light, is for parents, professionals, and anyone who wants to make a difference in their community by protecting children. Participants will receive a workbook they can use as their own personal prevention plan. 

For more information or to schedule a training, contact Jennifer Samartano at jsamartano@pcaillinois.org.

To learn more about the Stewards of Children training, please visit https://www.d2l.org/education/stewards-of-children/

Illinois Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Conference

The Illinois Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children (Illinois DEC) recently held its 2nd annual conference, bringing together 139 attendees. Topics included identifying and responding to drug-endangered children, parental substance use and children impacted by addiction, and a panel discussion with experts and persons with lived experience. It was a powerful day of learning and collaboration to support children and families affected by substance misuse. If you are interested in learning more about Illinois DEC or starting a local DEC alliance, contact Jill Duden at jduden@pcaillinois.org.  

Understanding Poverty: Workshop and Simulation

PCA Illinois, in partnership with the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children, recently hosted the “Understanding Poverty: Workshop and Simulation” facilitated by the University of Illinois Extension. The training blended hands-on simulations with expert-led discussions by local Superintendent and author Charley Cass on the social and community impact of poverty. The interactive nature of the workshop allowed participants to deepen their understanding of key issues, making it both educational and highly immersive.

Downtown Springfield Family Funfest

Our Downtown Springfield Family FunFest was a tremendous success, drawing over 1,000 people of all ages on a beautiful day.  There were fun performances by Tator Tots Rock, Henson Robinson Zoo, and Kidzeum along with bounce houses, games, giveaways, sack races, a scavenger hunt, face painting, and so much more!   We raised more than $20,000 to support our mission at Prevent Child Abuse Illinois. It was a fantastic day of family fun and an incredible way to further our efforts in preventing child abuse and neglect across the state!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Children who witness violence in the home or are victims of abuse themselves are at serious risk of long-term physical and mental health problems. Check out the resources below to learn more about domestic violence: 

• Societal Impacts of Domestic Violence
• Illinois Domestic Violence Fact Sheet
• Domestic Violence Support
• Effects of domestic violence on children (womenshealth.gov)

To schedule a training for your organization or program about the effects of domestic violence on children, contact Rachel Chruszczyk at rchruszczyk@pcaillinois.org.

Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month

Unsafe sleep is a leading cause of death for children 1 year old and younger. Check out the resources below to learn more about infant safe sleep and how to create a safe sleep environment for babies: 

• IDHS: Infant Safe Sleep (state.il.us) 
• Sleep Safety (illinois.gov) 
• How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained - HealthyChildren.org  
• Homepage | Safe to Sleep (nih.gov)   

You can also check out our Safe Sleep for Babies Podcast and visit our Safe Baby Program on our website! To schedule a training for your organization or program about infant safe sleep, contact Belinda Farr at bfarr@pcaillinois.org.  

Babies Can’t Wait: We Need Early Intervention!

This October, Start Early and Raising Illinois are launching a year-long campaign, Babies Can’t-Wait: We Need EI! The campaign aims to raise awareness among the public and policymakers about the Early Intervention (EI) crisis and the urgent need for increased funding in Illinois' FY26 state budget. Thousands of eligible infants and toddlers are on historically long waiting lists and are not receiving the critical services they are entitled to.

The campaign kicked off with a statewide virtual event, Raising Our Voices, on October 16 at 12 p.m. Throughout the year, there will be multiple opportunities to take action, and we need your support! From October 28 to November 1, local rallies will be held across the state, where providers and families will share their stories, drawing media attention to this crisis as the governor and General Assembly begin planning for the FY26 legislative session and budget.

For more information or to get involved, please contact: Zareen Kamal at zkamal@startearly.org

WE HAVE NEW POSTERS, PARENT SLICKS, AND BROCHURES!

Save The Date!

• Dangers of Unsafe Sleep Environments and How to Create Safe Sleep for Babies Webinar: November 21st, 10am-11:30am
• Drug Endangered Children Webinar: December 10th, 10am-11:30am