What We Do

KidSafe Works to Support Our Neighbors

KidSafe, first and foremost, works to address situations in which vulnerable children are experiencing or are at risk of abuse or neglect – including physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect.  When are children at risk?  Almost always, it’s when parents or other primary caretakers are affected by such stressful and traumatizing factors as substance abuse, domestic violence, lack of employment or adequate housing, incarceration of a partner, physical or psychological factors – often occurring at the same time.

HOW DOES KIDSAFE HELP CHILDREN AND FAMILIES?

KIDSAFE CONNECTS:

• families in crisis/kids at risk with coordinated services and supports
•  Vermonters who work with children and youth with training, to know how to recognize and report suspected maltreatment
•  human services staff with each other, connecting people and agencies so that our child protection systems are effective.

At the family level, KidSafe leads Child Protection Teams that provide coordinated supports for parents who are coping with issues that are affecting their child(ren)’s safety.  KidSafe brings together everyone who can help, to work with the parents and take concrete steps to immediately improve the family’s safety.   

NOT JUST A MEETING…A SUPPORT TEAM.
Find out more about Child ProtectionTeams

At the community and state levels, KidSafe works on a broader scale, monitoring and seeking to improve the network of systems designed to prevent and address child abuse and maltreatment.  For example, the KidSafe Collaborative Council members, who represent the full array of community partners in this effort, have identified gaps in care – unserved or underserved populations – and taken steps to address the issues. 
Find out more about our systems work

WHO DO WE REACH?

In one year, KidSafe's work touches the lives of more than 400 children and adult family members. In addition, the "mandated reporter" training program KidSafe undertakes in collaboration with Vermont's Department for Children and Families (DCF) annually teaches hundreds of Vermont's educators, child care workers and many others who work with children and teen how to recognize and report maltreatment. An innovative on-line training program introduced in 2016 has reached thousands of these mandated reporters and interested members of the general public as well.