C.A.R.E.
Child Abuse Reduction Effort
20th Anniversary
C.A.R.E., founded in Randolph County in 1992, stands for Child Abuse
Reduction Effort. Specially trained, uniformed law
enforcement
officers teach the 16-week program. Through C.A.R.E. second
grade
students, their teachers and parents all learn to identify what abuse
is. The curriculum is well designed and expertly taught.
All involved support C.A.R.E.! Principals, teachers,
students,
parents, grandparents, and law enforcement officers---all believe in
C.A.R.E.
The bond of trust that develops between the C.A.R.E. Officers and
students is phenomenal, it is the key to C.A.R.E.
effectiveness.
Children learn from skilled, caring experts in an atmosphere of trust
and honesty. This program has proven to really work.
According to
the statistics from the North Carolina Department of Human Resources,
Division of Social Services and Randolph County Department of Social
Services, child abuse dropped three years straight.
Second grade students really love C.A.R.E., not just because of the
teaching materials, such as drawing, coloring, playing games, singing
songs or even Carey the puppet, but because of the sincere concern of
the C.A.R.E. Officer. It was once said…. “It
is better to build a child than repair a broken man or
woman.”
The enthusiasm of students, parents, teachers, and principals is
equaled if not exceeded by that of the C.A.R.E. Officer. In
training, they are challenged to professionalism, commitment to
C.A.R.E. and a commitment to young people. As C.A.R.E.
Officers,
they not only believe in it, they live it.
“We
believe and hope that the C.A.R.E. program can be a learning tool to
teach children about child abuse.
This program promotes wellness and safety through several
teaching strategies. It
gives the child the means to recognize what abuse is, it lets the child
know that they have a right to feel safe at all times and gives the
child a network of trusted adults to tell if abuse does occur. The program is also used
as a deterrent to any possible abuser because they are aware that the
child has gained the knowledge through C.A.R.E. to help protect
themselves." Former
Sheriff Litchard D. Hurley, Founder