VINCENT J. FONTANA CENTER FOR CHILD PROTECTION

The Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection is dedicated to advancing state-of-the-art prevention and treatment of abused and neglected children. The New York Foundling has created a multidisciplinary center to prevent and treat child abuse, as well as provide training, research and public awareness to further education in the field.

Children are hurting, some of them beyond remedy, resulting in psychological and physical scars that can last a lifetime. It is time to reflect on how we can provide our children with the love, nurturing and protection they need and deserve. The sad part is that many children are not safe, even in their own homes. The statistics are staggering. Every year, there are nearly three million reported cases of child maltreatment, more than 3,000 innocent children die as a result of their inflicted abuse or neglect. Whether suffering neglect, physical punishment, sexual abuse or emotional trauma, the children who survive carry the scars of their abuse for the rest of their lives.

Child abuse is not simply a case of a "battered" child with a fractured skull and broken teeth that we read about in our newspapers and view on our television screens. It is not only the starved or frozen infant that becomes a child abuse fatality. These horrible and emotionally laden comprise less than 5% of the total incidents of child abuse and neglect cases that exist in our society. The great majority of parents who physically or verbally strike out at their children are human beings unable to control their tempers during times of crisis, who during stressful situations lose their control and strike out at what is closest to them, namely their children. Few parents would willfully injure their children. The unfortunate stressed out parents know a cry of pain when they hear it, they hate themselves for what they are doing to their children, they want help but are afraid to ask for it and don't know where to go for it. They feel frustrated, confused, guilty and are frightened by their behavior and feelings.

Being a parent today is an awesome responsibility filled with moments of frustration, depression and anger. Today, the lives of many parents are filled with too many pressures and not enough time to adequately provide for a child's needs. Parents are pressured by the problems of the economy, social isolation, marital crisis, domestic violence, drug or alcohol problems and last but not least, by the lack of parenting skills on how to raise a child. Those of us who have spent our lives working with troubled parents know that there are practical measures and programs that can mitigate the multiple problems that lead to child abuse. Keeping children safe is a community responsibility, and prevention must be a community task. Every segment of society must be involved, including health and law enforcement professionals, schools, businesses, the media, government agencies, community and religious organizations, and especially parents themselves. Teachers and physicians need to recognize the symptoms of child abuse early; parents need to ask for help in controlling violent behavior; communities must be willing to fund programs and services to protect children from abuse by helping their parents; and the media needs to raise public awareness of the availability of programs and services in the community that will ensure the heath and well being of our families. The Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection provides leadership and assistance in all the above.

The Vision of Dr. Vincent J. Fontana

During his pediatric rounds in the early 1960's, Dr. Fontana saw children deprived of food, clothing, shelter and parental love. In 1963, he reported these observations in the groundbreaking article, "The Maltreatment Syndrome in Children" which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In 1972, Dr. Fontana established one of the first residential "temporary shelter" multidisciplinary treatment centers for abusive mothers and their children. In 1982, he founded a Crisis Nursery "Island of Safety" for abused and neglected children. These innovative programs at the Foundling have served as successful model programs for the nation. Dr. Fontana is known throughout the world as an activist on behalf of children and has authored numerous books about child abuse.

Leading the Way to Making a Difference

As the only center of its kind based in a family service agency, the Fontana Center is building upon and preserving the mission of the Foundling. By expanding upon the Foundling's unique past, the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection is a beacon of hope for children, providing leadership to child abuse prevention and treatment efforts. Under the direction of Mel Schneiderman, Ph.D., Director of The Fontana Center, program areas include:

Treatment

Currently, New York Foundling gives specialized therapy to sexual abuse victims in our foster care and residential programs and to their non-perpetrating parents. In our new Fontana Center for Child Protection, we plan to extend this treatment to survivors of other forms of abuse, and to increase our capacity to serve a larger population of suffering families in the community.

Community-Based Prevention Programs

The Center is reaching out to high-risk communities by promoting community-based parenting instruction and family support systems to prevent child abuse and neglect. Preventive services will include home visitation for prenatal and postnatal care, crisis intervention, social services, self-help groups, community outreach, education, and counseling.

Training and Education

The Training and Education Department enhances key professionals' understanding of child abuse and neglect through training, fellowships, and internships.

Upcoming training sessions:

Research and Development

The Research and Development Department studies medical, social, and educational interventions against child abuse and neglect to discern best practices. The Center's research department is currently involved in the planning and implementation of nine research projects. The Center is collaborating with nationally known researchers at Columbia University, New York University and Fordham University.

For more information about the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection, please call the Development Office at (212) 886-4043.