Texan Mosaic

by: DARIELLA HERNANDEZ/ Editorial Assistant

The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect works with different professionals to create events and campaigns for the awareness of child abuse.

The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) has been working toward the prevention of cruelty toward children since 1977.

“ISPCAN is the only multidisciplinary international organization that brings together a worldwide cross-section of committed professionals to work toward the prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect and exploitation globally,” says Angela Pena, the training and resources program assistant.

According to Pena, “ISPCAN does not offer direct services in the field of child abuse and neglect, but instead we offer our services in the ways of trainings and conferences to the professionals within this field.”

Pena has been working with ISPCAN close to two years now and says, “I love my current job, and although we have a small team in our office, all of our councilors and members around the world are terrific to work with.”

Some of the goals ISPCAN has set for the organization are “to support international efforts to promote and protect the ‘Rights of the Child,” as well as “to improve the quality of current efforts to detect, treat and also prevent child abuse.” Most importantly, a goal is “to increase awareness of the extent, the causes and possible solutions for forms of child abuse.”

ISPCAN has developed the mission “to support individuals and organizations working to protect children from abuse and neglect worldwide.”

To fulfill that mission, ISPCAN, “works largely in countries where lack of resources, cultural resistance or political unrest has prevented the establishment of critical child abuse and neglect skills development.”

Along with providing a medium for child abuse prevention, ISPCAN holds prevention events quite often.

Since 1998, ISPCAN has held international conferences and events ranging from Europe to Australia, and even Africa. These meetings include a variety of organizers such as physicians, educators, legislators, and law enforcement officers.

ISPCAN has a specific training program, The International Program of ISPCAN (ITPI), which “was designed to address these deficits by building organizational capacity and systems through proven methods, expert consultation and long-term commitment.” ITPI also hosts projects that “result in a region’s sustained ability to provide quality basic, advanced and train-the-facilitator professional education; raise community awareness; strengthen multi-sector teamwork; and work toward governmental reforms,” according to their training team.

For 38 years, ISPCAN has managed to help toward the prevention of child abuse and has made a significant difference around the world with their contributions and donations.