The science and art of parenting children
The Vision-Mission statement of The Child Protection Network declares all children in the Philippines and throughout Asia are protected from abuse and neglect.
“The Asian Center for Child Protection in cooperation with all Child Protection Units shall serve every abused child with compassion and competence ensuring that all abused children and children at risk are safe, healthy, and developing to the best of their potential within a nurturing family environment.”
The 9th Ako Para Sa Bata Conference on Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 focuses on informing parents and professionals that parenting is a positive intervention for optimal child development and prevent child maltreatment.
Here are important statements from the organizers:
“The Ako Para Sa Bata (APSB) is critical to the implementation of the National Plan of Action to End Violence against Children of the Philippine government,” remarked Dr. Bernadette J. Madrid, CPN executive director and conference president. “Parenting is one of the key interventions… and the conference will present the different programs that has evidence of working.”
“We are deeply grateful to our partners and sponsors — most especially to UNICEF Philippines co-presenter and consistent supporter of our cause, and to the Department of Health, our 2017 Most Valuable Partner. The DoH has been the long-time partner in establishing and managing Women and Children Protection Units across the country. We look forward to the others joining our fight against child abuse and neglect.”
Participants include doctors, social workers, police, teachers, guidance counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, judges, prosecutors, NGO workers, local government officials, parents, and individuals at the frontline of protection work for women and children. They will learn from world-renowned exerts in parenting, So far, there are 1,000 pre-registrants.
Last year’s theme “Stressed? Coping, Recovery and Healing” had 1,455 delegates. The first conference 2007 had 777 national and international delegates. The Philippines through the CPN hosted the Asian Regional Conference of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN).
Atty. Katrina Legarda, director, National Network of Women and Children Protection Units, explained, “The Child Protection Network Foundation offers specialized trainings and conferences for professionals and individuals in the frontline of women and children protection work. Providing continuing medical, psychosocial care, child safety, and legal protection training opportunities aid in ensuring that every abused woman and child is treated with compassion and competence they truly deserve.” Here are some CPN Statistics: Proceeds of the annual conference have helped support the establishment of the WCPUs ( Women and Child Protection Units). These units have served 68,694 children and adolescents since 2004.
CPU- UP- PGH has served 21,613 children and adolescents.
“This network for the treatment of abused children has grown from one CPU in Philippine General Hospital in 1997 to currently 94 WCPUs in 50 prov-
inces and 9 cities in the Philippines,” Ms. Legarda revealed.
The National Baseline Study on Violence against children in the Philippines (2016) reveal the following data:
Sexual abuse (64%) was more commonly reported among children and adolescents. Physical violence (17%) was reported by women in the WCPUs. The NBSVAC study said that sexual abuse was reportable while corporal punishment widely accepted. Psychological abuse continues to be the least recognized but three out of 55 children have experienced psychological violence.
Sexual violence against children often occurs in the home (11.7%) and during dating (13.7%). Lack of supervision, single headed households, and absent parents increase the risk. The neighbor is the most common perpetrator of sexual violence in the community. The increasing number of text mate/chat mate perpetrators shows the emerging threat presented by risky online behavior and lack of supervision when using the Internet exposes children to online sexual solicitation and grooming.
The general belief that girls are typically sexually abused. However, the study shows that more males experience sexual violence at home and in school, community, dating, and workplace.
Most physical violence occurs in the form of violent discipline. It also occurs in non-disciplinary contexts. “The toxic trio of social norms around physical violence, financial stress and substance misuse are risk factors.”
“Parenting is both a science and an art, “declared APSB conference chair Dr. Stella G. Manalo. “Parents of children with autism are faced with unique challenges. Learning evidence- based effective strategies to parent as well as the proper way to teach children with special needs are important factors in the intervention of these children.
“There are many challenges in today’s environment that impact on parenting. Effective parenting strategies in the previous years may no longer be applicable today.”
“Parents should realize that a child’s behavior may be disruptive but children are not essentially bad. Parents should learn to use nonviolent approaches when managing their child’s behavior,” said Dr. Sandra S. Hernandez, Scientific committee chair.
The foreign and local experts who will lecture are:
Frances Grader from Oxford, Dr. Honey Carandang of MLAC Institute, Jamie Lachman from Oxford University, Dr. Alexis Reyes of UP- PGH, Dr. Liane Alampay from Ateneo University, Judy Hutchings from Bangor University.
Dr. Norieta C. Balderrama, Pre-Convention committee chair, Trauma Informed Psychosocial Processing Training said that “TIPP aims to address the gap in the mental health needs of children in the Philippines by training social workers and other professionals in handling the effects of trauma on children.” (The TIPP training will be held on Nov. 27-29 at the Microtel Mall of Asia.)
This annual conference for “The Child” deserves the full support from the business community — corporations and individuals who care about our children, the future of the nation. One way of helping would be to donate to CPN or to give grants, and to sponsor social worker-delegates.
Ako Para Sa Bata Conference will be held on Nove. 30 to Dec. 1 at SMX Convention Center Manila. Sponsors and interested parties may coordinate with Ms. Melissa David ( 02) 404- 3953 or email akoparasabataconference@gmail.com (Registration fee includes a delegate pass to all plenary sessions, conference kit, meals, and fellowship night sponsored by SM Mall of Asia.).
The neighbor is the most common perpetrator of sexual violence in the community.