Family Services calls it the “silent pandemic.” And it could mean trouble for kids across the Valley.
Compared to 2019, Clark County has already seen 1,600 fewer calls to its child abuse hotline.
So what’s happening in homes as parents and children spend more time together?
Tim Burch is the Clark County Administrator of Human Services. A government organization that normally conducts close to 1,000 investigations through child protective services each month.
"The people who are usually the eyes and ears for our system - teachers, SafeKey employees, others - are not coming in daily contact with these children," Burch explained, "Folks who are usually making these calls aren't making them at the same volume."
However, Burch said the staff at Family Services is doing the same proportional amount of investigations for the calls that do come in and the number of substantiated claims is higher this June compared with the same time last year.
He said the department is still getting calls from emergency rooms and law enforcement but there are fewer calls from people who are suspicious that something might be wrong with the child.
Burch noted that teachers are the largest reporting group for abuse and neglect because they have a relationship with their students and can see changes in their behavior that might indicate something is wrong at home.
With that critical piece gone, for now, Burch is asking the whole community to become the eyes and ears for kids in crisis. He said kids are still going to be in contact with adults who can help them.
He also noted that most calls are for neglect, not physical abuse. So, if you know a neighbor's children are home alone and aren't able to take care of themselves - call.
"If you have a concern that something might be off, make the call," he said, "Don't worry about being the investigator. Don't worry about having all the facts. If you think something might be wrong - report."
He said it is the job of Family Services to talk to families and find out what is going on to help them stay together if possible, but above all else, to make sure the children are safe.
Burch said it would be difficult for Family Services to track down something suspicious at a grocery store, but if you know the name of the family and their address and you are concerned, call them. He also reminded people that calls and online submissions are anonymous.
"If you are concerned that parents out there in this community are stressed... find ways to get involved, volunteer with non-profits or just knock on your neighbor's door and check on folks," he said.
Burch suggested we should all look for ways to ease each other's burdens, "if everybody did that, we would have fewer calls."
CCSD's decision to move from some in-person learning to online-only has special challenges for children in the Family Services system, Burch said.
He is concerned about access to the technology needed for distance learning because he does not want to see them falling further behind.
"Every time they get removed from their home or have a traumatic experience in the home, that impacts their learning," he said, "They already have ground to make up."
He said Family Services has committed to the school district that it will be "one of the loudest voices in the room" advocating for children and partnering with the district to make sure the hard-to-serve children that find themselves in the child welfare system get the education they need.
Besides limiting the number of interactions children have with adults who can report signs of abuse, the coronavirus outbreak has changed how cases are investigated.
Ross Armstrong is the administrator with the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services. He said many of their rules come from the federal level, but with the outbreak, the federal government has allowed more flexibility.
Now, investigators can check with families via video conference, which Armstrong admits has some limitations.
"We know there are situations where that video is not going be effective," he said, "But if you have a family that maybe the youth came into the foster home for a bit and now they're home and they've been in that home for three or four months and you're getting ready to close the case and things are going well."
He said if things in the home are more precarious then a face-to-face is going to be vital.
Armstrong would eventually like to see the role of child protective services change from stepping into situations that are precarious to being there for families before a crisis.
"A call to CPS can be for child abuse and neglect, but a call to CPS can also be: 'I think this family needs help' and our child welfare agencies are there to help," he said, "So some of that prevention... on the front end."
Another way to help on the front of a situation is to address parental stress.
For the parent in stressful situations, Dave Doyle, the director of operations for Eagle Quest, a non-profit that provides counseling and mental health services to youth in Las Vegas, said it is important to connect with other parents - even if it's virtually - to take a break from the stressors of our current situation.
He would also like the community to help provide that break for parents and kids.
"We really need all of the community to step up and help parents who have very few and limited outlets and resources right now,” Doyle said.
One community organization that is hopeful it can provide an outlet for kids in need is Project Real. The group takes students into Southern Nevada courtrooms to see how the legal system work. They also set up question-and-answer sessions with local judges.
Mike Kamer is the senior director for Project Real. He said the group has worked with judges to create a virtual version of its in-class program.
He is hopeful that interaction with the legal system will give kids in need a chance to speak up.
"We normally aren't an organization that is focused exclusively on domestic violence and child abuse, but because of our wide scope and the focus on legal rights, we have a unique opportunity to really help students out when the school year starts up again," he said, "And maybe even a little bit now with the material we provide them and how we present that information where they can seek out help for themselves."
RESOURCES:
The Clark County Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline - (702) 399-0081
If you have an emergency please call 911.
Nevada Child Protective Services
To Report Child Abuse in Washoe County:
- 775-784-8090 Crisis Call Center
- 775-785-8600 Washoe County Child Protective Services
Tim Burch, Administrator, Clark County Human Services; Ross Armstrong, Administrator, Division of Child and Family Services; Dave Doyle, Director of Operations, Eagle Quest; Mike Kamer, Senior Director, Project Real
