WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — As part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, The Women’s Community and the Marathon County Department of Social Services have signed a new Memo of Understanding that will coordinate the efforts of the two groups around child protection.
The Women’s Community has kept to a confidentiality agreement with parents in the past who reveal that their child has been abused by another parent, but this new agreement means that they will do their best now to convince the parent to take their case to Social Services for help.
Jane Graham Jennings, Executive Director of the Women’s Community, said, “This seems like it should be really simple, just make people safe. But, there’s well-intentioned laws that can cause some difficulties and barriers. We all said, ‘we want be able to move beyond that, how do we do that to keep our families safe?’”
Graham Jennings also said that the goal is for their advocates to become the faces of child protection and break down any fears of working with Social Services.
Vicki Tylka, Director of Social Services, says that the agreement includes frequent communication between the two staffs so that the county can send cases to the Women’s Community advocates for guidance.
Tylka said, “Emotions are usually high when families are working with both of our agencies, but our staff can help interpret our roles and what supports that they’re getting.”
The Women’s Community will now be sending cases to Social Services, but only when there is a danger of child abuse and if the parent refuses to take their case to authorities themselves. The agreement has been signed for one year.
