Natalie Hoprich remembers the call that changed her life.  Hoprich had one hour to get home, a worker from Luzerne County Children and Youth Services told her, or else her two grandsons would enter foster care.  Instead of preparing to retire, Hoprich and her husband, Steve, became caretakers of 4- and 6-year-old boys.  When the […]

A program created locally to make sure children receive support services and care when tragedy impacts their lives has its first flagship school district. Huntingdon Borough Police Chief Charles Streightiff and his wife Kristen announced plans for the Huntingdon Endangered At-Risk Youth Response Team (HEART) at the Huntingdon Borough Council public safety committee meeting in […]

Pennsylvania has joined 32 other states in a federal lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s social media platforms violate consumer protection laws by exposing young users to harmful, manipulative, and addictive content. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has voiced strong opposition against these practices, […]

Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), a nonprofit organization and the state leader in child abuse prevention, is accepting nominations for its 2024 Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids Awards. The nomination period ends at 5 p.m., October 20, and awards will be given next year to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the prevention […]

Amidst rising mental health concerns for Pennsylvania youths, Independence Health System is bringing back an annual children’s mental health education event for therapists and other care providers for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The Children’s Mental Health Symposium, scheduled at Latrobe Hospital on Oct. 5, will provide free continuing education training […]

Technology will always make sure that parenting will never be easy. More than half of parents surveyed in a recent Pew Research study said that social media makes parenting harder than it was 20 years ago. The reasons are well-known: Almost three-fourths of kids see sexual or violent content while doing their homework. One-fifth of […]

The Department of Human Services most recent Child Protective Services report shows 60 child abuse fatalities and 138 near fatalities in 2022.  The report shows 60 perpetrators involved with the fatality of a child in 2022 were known to the county children and youth agencies prior to or at the time of the incident, with […]

Leslie Holt is the founder and director of “A Child’s Light,” a non-profit organization that funds the access of mental health treatment for children who were victims of sexual assault or have experienced domestic abuse. The organization supports Chester County children and adolescents between the ages of 2-18 years old. Holt is a vocal advocate […]

60 kids died from abuse or neglect last year The number of suspected child abuse cases increased slightly last year in Pennsylvania according to the Child Protective Services Report from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. There were 39,093 suspected child abuses reported. Sixty children died as the result of child abuse. Joining us on […]

Lawmakers across the country have recognized the need to rein in social media companies, particularly as it relates to their impact on children. In Pennsylvania, a bipartisan effort by Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York County) and Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) aims to empower parents with more control over their children’s access to these platforms. This legislation is […]