Mission:

To prevent child abuse and neglect through the promotion of healthy, happy families.

Purpose:

The Family Center strives to significantly reduce the occurrence and reoccurrence of child maltreatment in Middle Tennessee. Child maltreatment is defined as the physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse or neglect of children.

During 2004, the latest national reporting year, U.S. child protective service agencies substantiated 906,000 cases of children abused or neglected. The actual incidence of abuse and neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the number reported to authorities, meaning the real number is approximately 2,718,000. Each year more than 12,000 children under the age of 18 are abused or neglected in Middle Tennessee (Davidson and abutting counties). This is a staggering number that we work diligently to reduce, both now and in the future.

We do so by providing three levels of prevention.

• At the first level, we raise community awareness of abuse and neglect.

• At the second level we identify and intervene with those who are at risk of abusing or neglecting their children.

• At the third level of prevention we work with parents and children where abuse or neglect has already occurred to ensure that it does not reoccur and that its negative effects are mitigated.

Ninety percent of our efforts are concentrated on the first and second levels. By doing so, we help ensure that maltreatment never reaches the third level. Even though our two main Centers are in Davidson and Rutherford Counties, we serve individuals from throughout Middle Tennessee.