Dallas Association for Parent Education

DAPE does abuse prevention 12 months a year!
Every year hundreds of thousands of children are abused in this country. Child abuse is a national epidemic that forever changes children. You can make a difference!

Abuse Facts and Information

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month symbolized by a blue ribbon. The history of the blue ribbon campaign is one with a heartbreaking story. A grandmother who lost a grandson to child abuse, used a blue ribbon to symbolize his bruises. She started the blue ribbon campaign to bring awareness to the realities of child abuse with the hopes of preventing needless death and suffering.

DAPE is on the front lines of abuse prevention. Statistics show that the one of the best ways to prevent abuse is education. Since 1959 DAPE has been providing community based low cost parenting classes.

"Parent education works! When services such as parent education are offered and are of the appropriate quality, several studies indicate that outcomes for children and families improve, parents feel greater competence, and are less likely to abuse and neglect children" (Reppucci, N.D., Britner, P.A., Woolard, J.L., 1997).

Dape has also been recognized as an organization making a difference. In 1998, DAPE was nominated for the Best Practices by the Community Council of Greater Dallas. Dape is committed to the families in our community. We know that education makes a difference. Starting with pre-natal education and continuing educational opportunities until the child reaches 12, we have assisted families in getting the best start possible. Often parents don't understand child development and that leads the ineffective and sometimes abusive behavior.

Consider some of the following statistics and remember that Child Abuse is Everyone's Problem!!

• In 2001, about 3,844,000 children were reported as possible victims of child abuse and neglect in the United States.
Of those cases confirmed, 54 percent were neglect, 19 percent were physical abuse, 10 percent were sexual abuse, 3 percent were emotional maltreatment, and 14 percent were due to other forms of maltreatment.

• Nationally over 94 billion dollars are spent as a result of child abuse (direct and indirect costs).

• For every dollar spent on quality Early Childhood Education the community benefits with a return of seven dollars.

• Over 3 million children are reported as abused ( 2001) and of those reports, around 1 million are confirmed.

Dallas County Abuse Stats 2003
Dallas County - 14 Children died
State of Texas - 184 Texas Children
Dallas County - 5,292 children confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect.
Dallas County - 15,575 cases of child abuse and neglect reported.

Curerntly DAPE provides educational services to many at- risk families,community based orginazations and teens through the following programs:
Evenstart -provides ESL parening classes for parents getting their GED Plano Teens ( through the School District) for pregnant and parenting teens
Family Place -Domestic violence survivors with children in transitional housing
Reduced fee Child Care Worker Training including SIDS/Shaken Baby prevention training
Reduced or no fee speakers for Parenting groups
Warmline for Parents and many more!

So how can you help?

Please make a donation to DAPE . Every dollar that you donate goes directly to our educational programs.Here are some of the ways that we can put your dollars to work right now in our community.

$10.00 - pays for 1 weeks phone bill for the Warmline for Parents
$50.00- pays for Parenting Classes for 1 parent/ $75.00 pays for 2 parents
$70.00- pays for Pre-natal Education for a Family
$25.00 -pays for Baby Care Class or Breastfeeding class

Abuse Facts and Information

So how can you help?

Donate Now!