Future Child Advocates of America (FCAA)... an idea whose time has come! Child abuse in all of its forms is an unfortunate reality of our society with more than 3.6 million reported cases in 2009 and countless others NOT even reported (e.g. Penn State, Syracuse University) or falling through the cracks given child welfare system dysfunctions or lack of trained professionals who are unable to handle cases that come to their attention. This is especially true for children with disabilities who are at least twice as vulnerable to abuse with research demonstrating that even less of their abuse is being reported given complicated family, school and cultural-community issues.
Work has been done to try and provide greater support and attention to these concerns, along with better training of professionals who are involved currently in the field. BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH! More work is needed not only to sensitize new professionals across disciplines to the issues of child abuse, but to also encourage their advocacy and greater understanding of their roles in helping to protect and support children in their communities and work (i.e. to become that needed child advocate).
So, in 2011 a team from the TC O&O Center (including faculty and graduate students), prompted by a fabulous idea from a doctoral candidate (Mallory), established the FCAA initiative as a vehicle to help establish model undergraduate student organizations/clubs around the country. Student organizations can play a strategic role in modeling the intellectual and civic responsibility of students. They can bridge the academic discourse in the classroom to the social realities and the demand of a human community for equity and justice.
JOIN US AS WE MOVE TOWARD INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATIONS TO BECOME THOSE ADVOCATES FOR ALL CHILDREN!
about things that matter.” (Martin Luther King)
| LEARN MORE ABOUT STARTING AN FCAA STUDENT ORGANIZATION ON YOUR CAMPUS | October is Bullying Prevention Month |
| Fordham University, Bronx, NY FCAF Fall, 2012  |  Take a stand...Become an Advocate |