California State PTA Toolkit:

Section 4.4.7 Child Abuse

Adopted March 1989 — Revised January 2000

Community Concerns Commission

The California State PTA believes children are the future and must be protected from harm. PTA further believes all children are entitled to live and grow in an atmosphere of love and respect; and no child should be subjected to physical, psychological or sexual abuse. PTA, as the state’s largest child advocacy organization, must assume a leadership role to achieve these goals. The California State PTA advocates:

• Public education about the unmet needs of and public responsibility to children and families;
• Public education about the prevalence, causes, methods of intervention and prevention of child abuse;
• Public education about programs and assistance available to victims and their families;
• Parenting skills workshops and classes for parents and teenagers;
• Thorough implementation of state laws requiring school districts to provide training for school personnel in the identification, prevention, treatment and reporting of child abuse;
• School, law enforcement, courts and social service agencies working cooperatively and acting promptly in handling cases of suspected child abuse; and
• Adequate funding for treatment centers and temporary shelters.