Childhelp®, one of the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit organizations dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, will present an informational meeting concerning the introduction of child abuse prevention programs in Alpharetta area schools, Saturday, May 6 at 3 p.m. at the North American Mission Board, Room 102, 4200 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta. Parents, teachers and anyone interested in child abuse prevention are invited to attend this free, informative meeting by calling (770) 751-9895.

Barbara Castillo, director of chapter relations for Childhelp®, will speak about the epidemic of child abuse and how to integrate Childhelp® programs into school curriculums. She will also provide an overview telling people in the Atlanta area how they can help give a voice to Georgia’s abused and neglected children through Childhelp’s® Good Touch Bad Touch program.

National statistics, compiled annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, show that every day an average of four children die from abuse or neglect in their own homes. “Unfortunately, there has been an upward trend in annual child abuse fatalities in the United States. In the most recent reporting year, the average number of child abuse fatalities per day rose to over four, which is very alarming”, said John Reid, executive director of Childhelp®.

Approximately 3 million reports of child abuse are made each year (every 10 seconds a day), and the actual number of incidents of child abuse and neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the number reported to authorities. Other research indicates that more than 80 percent of Americans polled believe everyone should play a role in stopping child abuse, yet 53 percent of those polled said they had witnessed child abuse in a public place and did nothing.

About Childhelp®

Founded in 1959 by Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp® is a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp’s® approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD®, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. For more information on Childhelp®, please call (480) 922-8212 or visit its Web site at www.childhelp.org.