As summer temperatures heat up in Missouri, the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) reminds all parents and caretakers to never leave a child unattended in or around a vehicle. The interior of a vehicle can heat up to temperatures well over 100 degrees in just a few short minutes.  But regardless of the temperature, children should NEVER be left alone in a vehicle because of other dangers and risks. A child left unattended in a vehicle even for a short time is in danger of dehydration, overheating, hyperthermia, injury, abduction and even death.
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released its first-ever “Not-in-Traffic Surveillance 2007 - Children” confirming that preventable deaths and injuries associated with motor vehicles happen with regularity every year, not only on public roadways, but on private driveways and in parking lots.  The safety agency report estimates that thousands of tragic and life-altering incidents occurred in 2007 due to children being left alone in hot vehicles, being backed over, or powerful automatic vehicle windows closing on necks and limbs of car occupants.

To help spread this critical safety message, CTF offers several public education materials from our 'Not Even For A Minute' Campaign (NEFAM). These are available at no cost in hard copy and download (pdf) and include a poster and rack card complete with helpful tips and reminders. The NEFAM Campaign also includes television and radio public service announcments (PSAs):

• CTF NEFAM Radio PSA 1
• CTF NEFAM Radio PSA 2
• CTF NEFAM Video PSA

KidsAndCars, a national organization that addresses safety issues of children in and around vehicles, provides several helpful tips and reminders to parents and caregivers.     

Tips Courtesy of KidsAndCars.org -
 
• Never leave a child alone in a vehicle and teach your children to never play in, around or behind a vehicle.

• Put something you'll need like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID, lunch or brief case, etc., on the floor board in the back seat. Get in the habit of always opening the back door of your vehicle every time you reach your destination to make sure no child has been left behind.  "Look before you lock" will soon become a habit.

• Keep a large teddy bear in the child's car seat when it’s not occupied.  When the child is placed in the seat, put the teddy bear in the front passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that anytime the teddy bear is up front you know the child is in the back seat in a child safety seat.

• Make arrangements with your child’s day care center or babysitter that you will always call them if your child will not be there on a particular day as scheduled. This is common courtesy and sets a good example that everyone who is involved in the care of your child is informed of their whereabouts on a daily basis.  Ask them to phone you if your child doesn't show up when expected.  Many children’s lives could have been saved with a telephone call from a concerned child care provider.  Give child care providers all your telephone numbers, including that of an extra family member or friend, so they can always confirm the whereabouts of your child.

• Use drive-thru services when available. (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.)  Use your debit or credit card to pay for gas at the pump.

• If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved.  If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as quickly as possible.  Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

• Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway and always set your parking brake.  Keys and/or remote openers should never be left within reach of children.

• Make sure all child passengers have left the vehicle after it is parked.  Hold child’s hand firmly when leaving the vehicle.

• Know where your kids are. When a child is missing, check vehicles and car trunks immediately.

• Walk around and behind a vehicle prior to moving it.  Make children move away from your vehicle to a place where they are in full view before moving the car and know that another adult is properly supervising children before moving your vehicle.  Keep toys and other sports equipment off the driveway.

• Teach children that “parked” vehicles might move. Let them know that they can see the vehicle; but the driver might not be able to see them.

• Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays

• Consider installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera and/or some type of back up detection device.

• Measure the size of your blind zone (area) behind the vehicle(s) you drive. A 5-foot-1-inch driver in a pickup truck can have a rear blind zone of approximately 8 feet wide by 50 feet long. Be aware that steep inclines and large SUV’s, vans and trucks add to the difficulty of seeing behind a vehicle.

• Homeowners should trim landscaping around the driveway to ensure they can see the sidewalk, street and pedestrians clearly when backing out of their driveway. Pedestrians also need to be able to see a vehicle pulling out of the driveway.

Resources & Articles:
Scorching Summer Heat-Keeping MO Kids Safe, 6/25/2009 
Safe Kids USA
Harrison's Hope
Fatal Distraction - Washington Post Magazine, 3/8/2009
Consumer Advisory from NHTSA June 2009

Governor Jay Nixon recently appointed three members to the Children's Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors.  Joining the CTF Board are Susan E. Block, University City; Stacey L. Dujakovich, Kansas City; and Robert J. Harris, M.D., Columbia.
 
Block is an attorney and a partner at Paule Camazine and Blumenthal. She previously was an administrative judge of the Family Court of St. Louis County. The Missouri Supreme Court appointed Block to serve on the Missouri Children's Service Commission, the Missouri Children's Justice Commission, and the Missouri Supreme Court Family Court Committee.

Dujakovich is an office manager with Union Shop Apparel in Kansas City and has served in bookkeeping positions with several Kansas City businesses.

Dr. Harris has been a practicing pediatrician in Columbia for 44 years. He was a member of the Columbia Board of Education from 1981 to 1990, including serving as board president from 1984 to 1986.

CTF expresses appreciation to outgoing Board members Kay Lynne Myers, Kansas City (10 years) and Nuzhat Nisar, M.D., Ballwin (3 years) for their outstanding volunteer work and service.

Related - [Governor Nixon Announces Appointments 6/2/09]

Teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates have increased while child abuse has decreased.  That is among the data reflected in the most recent edition of the 2008 Kids Count Missouri Data Book.  Citizens For Missouri's Children (CMC) Executive Director F. Scott Gee, along with Director of Programs and Policy Emily Schwartze, join CTF Director Kirk Schreiber on this podcast to discuss the work of CMC, the annual Kids Count Project and how the data can be an effective tool and resource.

Listen/Download - 05/21/09 (MP3)

The Children's Trust Fund (CTF) welcomes five new members to the CTF Board of Directors. Joining the CTF Board are Paula E. Clay, Columbia; Kathleen Boyle Dalen, Ph.D., Kansas City; Richard C. Dunn, Springfield; Stephen F. Huss, Ph.D., Hillsboro; and Thomas M. Vansaghi, Ph.D., Kansas City. In addition, Governor Jay Nixon recently reappointed Board member Lynne M. Cooper, D. Min., St. Louis, to a second term.

The CTF Board of Directors is comprised of twenty-one members in which seventeen public members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, two Missouri Senate members are appointed by the President Pro Tem, and two House of Representative members are appointed by the Speaker of the House. 

Public members may serve up to two consecutive 3-year terms and may serve until their successor is appointed.  CTF also expresses appreciation to outgoing Board members Terry Bloomberg, St. Louis (8 years); Sam Burton, Ph.D., Rolla (11 years); Daniel 'Duke' McVey, North Palm Beach, FL (formerly of Jefferson City)(12 years); Christy Garnett, Independence (10 years); Margaret 'Peggy' Krokstrom, St. Louis (3 years); and Sheryl Maxwell, Lilbourn (3 years) for their volunteer work and outstanding service to CTF.

The 2008 Kids Count Missouri Data Book, released by Citizens For Missouri's Children (CMC), shows a number of positive changes as well as challenges for Missouri's children. One of the positive changes includes an overall decrease in the rates of child abuse and neglect between 2003 and 2007. 

The annual publication, a collaborative project of CMC, the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF), and more than 30 public and private organizations from across the state, documents the status of children in all Missouri counties and the City of Saint Louis.

The book provides information on measures of child well-being covering areas such as health, education, financial security, juvenile justice and child protection. In conjunction with the release of the book, CMC has created a unique interactive Web tool that allows users to compare county-by-county data over time.

For the third year in a row, Saint Charles County was ranked as the state’s most kid-friendly area, based on a composite of all KIDS COUNT measures. Platte County, located just north of Kansas City, was second, followed by Atchison, Worth, and Nodaway Counties in northwest Missouri. The City of Saint Louis ranked last in the composite rankings, with Dunklin, Pemiscot, McDonald, and Ripley Counties in southeast Missouri rounding out the bottom five. The state’s two largest counties, Saint Louis County and Jackson County, ranked 18th and 85th respectively.

Data for the report is compiled from more than 80 federal, state, county and municipal sources by the Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) at the University of Missouri.  Primary funding for the project is provided by CTF, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation.

Related -   CMC Kids Count General Release - 5/11/09;
               Download 2008 Kids Count Data Book (pdf)

Child Maltreatment 2007, an annual report from the Children’s Bureau, is now available online. The report presents national and state statistics on child abuse and neglect derived from data collected by child protective services (CPS) agencies through the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.
 
This year’s report shows a decrease in the number of children who were maltreated—794,000 in 2007, which is down from 904,000 in 2006. The report includes information on: 

• The estimated 3.2 million referrals made to CPS agencies in 2007, involving the alleged maltreatment of approximately 5.8 million children;
• Fatalities that occurred as a result of maltreatment;
• Perpetrators of maltreatment; and
• Services to prevent maltreatment and to assist victims.

"Now that April has come and gone, so have many of the public activities highlighting it as child abuse prevention month.  What many people learn during April relates to the long term impact that child abuse and neglect can impose on a child’s development.  Specifically, it is learned that a child who has experienced the trauma of abuse and neglect can have life-long struggles with relationships, academics, job experiences, physical health, mental health and future parenting behavior.

Typically, if we see a child with a broken bone, we support and help that child with their physical needs and healing.  However, the emotional, cognitive and spiritual breaks resulting from abuse and neglect are often not responded to or recognized in the same supportive manner.

As adults, we are responsible to create a safe environment for all children to grow, develop and heal.   It is important to keep the momentum from April going throughout the year, so that we can reach each child impacted by the fear and pain of child abuse, keep the cycle from repeating and work together to stop it once and for all."

Regina Staves, Ph.D., Children’s Trust Fund Chair
Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri
Assistant Professor
Interim Chair, Department of Psychology