SALISBURY – The Rowan County Department of Social Services (DSS) board is sponsoring a community roundtable Thursday on child safety.
The meeting will be held at the DSS building, located at 1813 E. Innes St. in Salisbury, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Board members include Chair Lillian Morgan, Vice Chair Jim Sides, Carl Ford, John Blair and Ruth Kennerly.
One of the leading non-medical causes of infant deaths in North Carolina is suffocation due to unsafe sleeping conditions, according to a DSS board press release. The second leading cause of non-medical child deaths is accidents with the third being homicide and suicide.
Often, parents are not aware of potential risks or risky behavior until an accident occurs or a child is injured or harmed. Awareness is increased through providing community forums for parents, foster parents, child caretakers, grandparents and other relatives, to learn about potential risks to children.
The DSS board members hope to enhance the safety of local children by making local adults more cautious.
Community members are invited to attend this panel presentation by local multi-disciplinary experts regarding issues of child safety such as safe sleeping, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, age appropriate supervision, bullying, depression and suicide, appropriate discipline, exposure to domestic violence, gun safety and safe driving.
Panel experts include Jeff Morris, chair of the Rowan County Child Protection Team; Karen Barbee, interim director of the Terrie Hess House Child Advocacy Center; Renee Bradshaw, director of the Family Crisis Council; Kim Billingsley, supervisor of social work case management at Rowan Regional Medical Center; Lissa Pence, supervisor of the Guardian Ad Litem Program; Carol Ann Houpe, director of student services with Rowan-Salisbury School System; Laurie Whitson, system of care clinician for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions; Cynthia Dry, attorney for Children’s Services; Rebecca Smith, program administrator for Children’s Services; and local law enforcement representatives.
For more information, call Social Services Director Donna Fayko at 704-216-8422.