The Vincent J. Fontana Center For Child Protection

Research: Conducts research to identify and implement the most effective interventions for children and families.

• The Center’s Research Department has published 25 articles in peer review journals and the book, Bonded to the Abuser: How Victims Make Sense of Childhood Abuse.
• The Center collaborates with universities and national research experts to produce papers and organize conferences to promote the primary prevention of child maltreatment.

Public Education: Improves the general public’s knowledge and attitudes toward child maltreatment.

• The Center offers public tours. Visitors to the Center’s exhibits view children’s artwork, read or listen to children’s songs related to child maltreatment, watch videos of youth and caregivers and learn about the contributors to the history of child protection reform.
• Artist Collective is a safe space or youth in foster care to express themselves through various art forms and share their artwork with target audiences at the Foundling and community audiences.

Professional Development: Provides educational programs, workshops and conferences to improve the knowledge of professionals working within the field of child welfare.

• The Center in partnership with APSAC sponsors national conferences, institutes, webinars and online trainings to help prevent child maltreatment. View the 2021 schedule here.
• The Center co-sponsors conferences in New York State with other child abuse organizations.
• Each year the Center sponsors the William Randolph Hearst Program for Health Care Providers in the Prevention of Child Maltreatment and the Foundling’s Annual Professional Conference.

Advocacy: Informs lawmakers to pass legislation and establish policies to advance the field of child welfare, strengthen families, prevent child maltreatment, and support trauma-informed treatment interventions.

• The Center is the lead agency in the national movement to end corporal punishment in the United States.
• In collaboration with APSAC and Columbia University, the Center founded the Psychological Maltreatment Alliance, the world’s primary resource center on child psychological maltreatment, its nature, and how to prevent it in ways that protect and promote psychological well-being.
• The Center is a partner in the National Child Policy Center whose mission is to translate research into usable resources to promote evidence-informed policy-making and best practices for professions involved in the field of child maltreatment.

Dr. Fontana was a national voice for children who have been abused or neglected. He helped define the scope and magnitude of child maltreatment in the U.S. During his lifetime, Dr. Fontana authored 150 articles, published books, and led the fight for mandatory reporting laws for children suspected of being abused or neglected.