Protect a child.

Be the eyes and ears watching over our most vulnerable population. You don’t need proof, and you can report anonymously.

Oklahoma Child Abuse Hotline:
1-800-522-3511

How to report suspected abuse:

OKDHS child abuse statewide hotline: 1-800-522-3511

  • Callers can remain anonymous.
  • All calls are documented and disposition is assigned. Can create a trail of reporting.
  • Remember, reporting is helping a family make needed changes, obtain services.
  • Reporting makes a difference – pattern may be established, various reporters substantiate.

Signs a child may be at risk
of abuse or neglect:

  • Unexplained bruising or injuries on the child.
  • Parents or caregivers arguing or fighting.
  • Child reporting not having food or being hungry.
  • Child (under the age of 10 or has cognitive delays) taking care of younger children.
  • Has advanced sexual knowledge for their age.
  • Changes in the child’s mood and/or behavior.
  • The child tells you they are unsafe or scared.
  • The child tells you a friend or sibling is unsafe or something bad happened.
  • If you have had no contact at all with a family after many repeated phone calls/messages.
  • Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention.
  • Has learning problems, or difficulty concentrating, that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes.
  • Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen.
  • Seems to always lack adult supervision.
  • Seems frightened of their parent or caregiver.
  • Abuses animals or pets.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

Parents and Caregivers:

  • Plan now for what you’ll do before you feel overwhelmed and lose control. Where in your home can you safely place your child while you take a break in another room?
  • Maintain a mental list of coping mechanisms to use when you feel you are beginning to lose control of your emotions.
  • Remind yourself of what positive interaction with your child looks like and use those thoughts to regulate your emotions.
  • Good self-care is very important so you don’t reach a breaking point; adequate sleep, proper nutrition and breaks from care-giving duties all give you the energy to hold your emotions in check.

 

Family and Friends:

  • If you know someone who struggles to parent positively, stay in touch with them by phone, text or Facetime to offer support and encouragement.
  • When you call, ask to speak to the children in the home and listen for the tone in their voices. If possible, get a visual assessment of their well-being by asking the parent or caregiver to Facetime with you and include the child so you can see them.

 

Everyone:

  • Be aware of the welfare of children in your environment. If you see or hear something concerning, call or text one of the resource numbers to have trained personnel advise you on what to do with your information.
  • Be aware of what the children in your life are doing on their phones. During periods of isolation, there is risk of cyber-bullying and greater opportunities for child predators when young people are using the internet unsupervised.

Resources to help a child in need.

Parents:

 

Caregivers:

  • Create a plan for yourself to use when you start feeling overwhelmed.
    • Take deep breaths, get fresh air, walk (even if jog in place)
    • Do something that can calm you down – music, read, draw, pet an animal, wash face
    • Call a friend/emotional support line – talking to another person can break the tension/overwhelming moment.
    • Consider what can help – setting a schedule, planned family time, rotating household chores, moving work/study/school areas, getting more rest
  • COPES COVID Emotional Support Line: 918-744-4800
  • COPES Crisis hotline/help: 918-744-4800
  • myStrength app: F&CS has partnered with myStrength to provide you with a free, personal myStrength account. This is a fantastic resource can support parent’s emotional health in the midst of COVID-19. https://www.fcsok.org/mystrength/
  • COVID Resources Hub for mental health and basic needs: www.fcsok.org
  • 2-1-1 Resource Directory: www.211.org

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and we invite the entire community to stand up for Tulsa’s most vulnerable by helping to bring awareness, recognition and resolution to child abuse and neglect.

April is a reminder to the community that we’re all mandated reporters – calling the Child Abuse Hotline allows the appropriate authorities to check on the welfare of a child as well as the rest of the family.

Help bring awareness this month by:

Activities for kids:

More ways to support:

Each of the agencies listed here, provide support for the prevention, intervention or treatment of child abuse and neglect. To support their missions, please visit their donation pages:

Child Abuse Network

Family & Children’s Services

The Parent Child Center of Tulsa

Tulsa Area United Way

Tulsa CASA, Inc.

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The Look Out, Reach Out Campaign.

During COVID-19 many of the known risk factors that lead to child abuse and neglect – financial stress, job loss, economic instability, illness and substance abuse – were experienced by more families than ever before. At the same time, children had been isolated from teachers and day care providers who report more than half of all cases.

As feared, reports to the Child Abuse Hotline plunged by over 50% in the spring of 2020, but the severity of abuse contained within those reports increased dramatically. In response, Tulsa Area United Way along with partner agencies Child Abuse Network, Family & Children’s Services, The Parent Child Center of Tulsa and Tulsa CASA, Inc., launched the Look Out, Reach Out campaign to bring awareness for child abuse and neglect and how we can all play an integral role in reporting, recognizing and preventing abuse and neglect.

Look out, reach out for Tulsa’s most vulnerable.

*Based on 2020 data.

Signs of abuse or neglect:

  • Unexplained bruising or injuries on the child.
  • Parents or caregivers arguing or fighting.
  • Child reporting not having food or being hungry.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

Plan now for what you’ll do before you feel overwhelmed and lose control. Where in your home can you safely place your child while you take a break in another room?

Strategies to keep kids safe.

When you call, ask to speak to the children in the home and listen for the tone in their voices. If possible, get a visual assessment of their well-being by asking the parent or caregiver to Facetime with you and include the child so you can see them.

Signs of abuse or neglect:

  • Child (under the age of 10 or has cognitive delays) taking care of younger children.
  • Has advanced sexual knowledge for their age.
  • Changes in the child’s mood and/or behavior.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

If you know someone who struggles to parent positively, stay in touch with them by phone, text or Facetime to offer support and encouragement.

Signs of abuse or neglect:

  • If you have had no contact at all with a family after many repeated phone calls/messages.
  • Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

Be aware of the welfare of children in your environment. If you see or hear something concerning, call or text one of the resource numbers to have trained personnel advise you on what to do with your information.

Signs of abuse or neglect:

  • If you have had no contact at all with a family after many repeated phone calls/messages.
  • Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

When you call, ask to speak to the children in the home and listen for the tone in their voices. If possible, get a visual assessment of their well-being by asking the parent or caregiver to Facetime with you and include the child so you can see them.

Strategies to keep kids safe.

Be aware of what the children in your life are doing on their phones. During periods of isolation, there is risk of cyber-bullying and greater opportunities for child predators when young people are using the internet unsupervised.