The recent release of the annual Child Protective Services report from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) “provides a picture of the challenges we face in eradicating child abuse,” as Gov. Josh Shapiro and DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh, MD, MPH wrote in the report’s welcome letter. And while the 2022 report shows that there […]

The recent arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses members from congregations across Pennsylvania on alleged child sex abuse charges reminds us of the responsibilities we all have for protecting the children in our care from harm. For faith-based and other organizations that work with children, it is critical that child protection be integrated into all aspects of […]

Child abuse and neglect are serious problems, affecting one in seven children nationwide. The cases in Pennsylvania have increased in recent years. Many of these children will suffer long-term impacts due to this abuse. But did you know we can do something about it?! Child abuse and neglect are preventable Abuse of children does not […]

Kids aged 8 to 12 spend over five hours per day on screens. With this excessive screen time raising mental health worries, the American Psychological Association has recommended mandatory training for kids before they sign up for an account. Researchers and psychologists aren’t the only ones with worries: lawmakers too are focused on controlling social […]

Every April, PFSA observes and promotes National Child Abuse Prevention Month. We are committed to creating an environment where Pennsylvania’s children can live and thrive free from abuse and neglect. One of our priorities is to call attention to the problem of child abuse and how to prevent it because – if we know better, […]

Pennsylvania has been home to many child abuse scandals. From the coverup of Jerry Sandusky’s abuses to the grand jury investigation into the Catholic dioceses, the issue of child abuse has been at the forefront of everyone’s minds. More recently, our legislature has been grappling with what to do and how to help adult survivors […]

As a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, you have probably heard of or even witnessed the children in your lives participate in a TikTok challenge. Some of these challenges can even be fun like the viral TikTok challenges where children compete against their parents in a homemade dancing competition. However, many of these challenges can be […]

When the Seattle public school district filed a lawsuit against four Big Tech companies, industry experts, elected officials, advocates, and child abuse prevention organizations like ours took notice. Seattle public school district filed a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc. (parent company of Google), Meta Platforms, Inc. (owner of Facebook and Instagram), Snap, Inc. (owner of Snapchat), […]

This time of year can pass quickly, making it difficult to appreciate the recent year and all that has been accomplished, but our team would like to encourage everyone to take some time, slow down, and soak in the gift of presence. Presence helps us to appreciate and connect with those around us – especially […]

Bullying can result in negative outcomes for children and students. Bullying comes in many forms, none of which are acceptable. Cyberbullying, for example, continues to increase among teens and is a growing concern for parents, schools, and communities. What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying involves using electronic communication and digital devices to bully a person, typically by […]