Karen Bibbs knew something was wrong at her neighbor’s house when the 4-year-old girl sneaked out of the home before 6 a.m. and sat waiting on the doorstep of Bibbs’ brick bungalow wanting to play.
The daughter of Bibbs’ neighbor had moved home with her two children, and people on the tight-knit block of 89th and Bishop Streets knew the woman was dealing and abusing drugs from the house. Bibbs, a longtime friend of the grandmother’s, saw that the living arrangements were causing her stress-related health problems.
Bibbs, 41, didn’t know how to confront the mother, but she had heard on the radio about Childwatch, a pioneering child-abuse prevention program that is unique to Chicago and perhaps to the nation, experts say.
So she called its hot line to get assistance for her neighbors. A health-care specialist at Childwatch helped Bibbs arrange medical treatment for the grandmother and suggested ways for her to approach the mother about her drug use.
After the grandmother got medical attention, she was able to take care of her grandchildren while her daughter went though drug treatment. The mother now has a steady job and is planning to move out with her children, Bibbs said.
One of the most frustrating problems for child-welfare officials in cases of neglect or abuse of children is that too often neighbors, relatives or other people in the community know of the problems but take no action.
The recent death by starvation of 2-month-old Dontory Jordan, who died at a nail salon after his mother went there instead of a hospital, was a particularly tragic case: Several relatives were aware that the baby direly needed medical attention, an investigation revealed. Yet no one intervened, and the mother, Diana Meeks, 25, now is charged with first-degree murder.
Child-welfare experts say people are often scared to call the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services when they suspect problems. They may fear retaliation or that DCFS will unnecessarily remove the child from the home. But ignoring the problem may be worse.
One solution, experts say, could be programs such as Childwatch, created by African-American leaders to give people a less threatening option when they suspect children are in trouble. They wanted to start a prevention program because African-Americans make up 78 percent of children under DCFS care, said Terry Solomon, executive director of the African-American Family Commission, the creator of Childwatch.
Operating under the slogan, “Preventing Child Abuse is a Community Affair,” Childwatch opened its doors in February 1996. It has targeted the South and West Sides of Chicago and south suburban Cook County to teach how to prevent abuse and neglect, said Gabriella Hayes, Childwatch community outreach specialist.
The program, of course, works in a delicate balance with DCFS, which funds the group’s sponsor, the African-American Family Commission. The agency supports Childwatch’s mission to prevent children from entering the child-welfare system and to try and keep families intact, said DCFS spokeswoman Martha Allen.
Still, if the person calls about a case of physical abuse or serious neglect, the Childwatch employee will instruct the caller on how to call DCFS and file a report, Hayes said. If the family just requires some help to stay on its feet, the Childwatch employee will figure out what the family needs and help line up the appropriate services.
“We are connected as a community and we need to recognize that we should come together to take care of and protect our children. We have to tell people what they can do to protect a child and keep him safe,” Solomon said.
Currently the cutting edge of child-abuse prevention is home-visitation programs, generally carried out by social workers or other child-welfare officials to target at-risk families, especially young single mothers, experts say. Childwatch’s efforts to make prevention a community effort is a new and potentially significant approach, they say.
“There are enormous numbers of cases coming to the state hot lines, and they can’t sort through and find help for every one of them,” said Deborah Daro, research director for the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, based in Chicago. “With this program, families will talk to someone who knows about their community and what help might be available.
“It can have a real preventative impact if it operates as an early warning sign that there is something troubling in the family and we want to offer some support,” Daro said, adding that for Childwatch to be effective, employees need to follow up with callers to ensure they get help.
To date, Childwatch’s two public-health specialists have fielded calls from about 225 people with wide ranging problems. Among other services, the agency has helped people obtain food and legal services, arranged for family counseling, and given callers guidance on approaching a loved one or friend about drug abuse or parenting skills. Childwatch also has helped children who want to talk about being abused or were worried about safety in their neighborhoods, Solomon said.
Rev. Al Sampson, pastor at Fernwood United Methodist Church on the South Side, envisions Childwatch as a Neighborhood Watch program for children.
“Inside our culture, we have found a lot of people who watch the block, especially grandparents. We thought that ought to be a legitimate process,” Sampson said. “The idea is not to just watch your child, but all the children on the block, and be the eyes and ears of what’s going on.”
Many children under DCFS care were brought to the agency’s attention because of neglect, not abuse, Solomon said. Parents may not be able to provide adequate clothing or food, or leave the children home alone because they lack someone to watch them.
There are abundant resources in Chicago to help people care for their children and to keep families intact. But often, people don’t know what social services are available, said Michael Holmes, a Childwatch consultant who has worked in child-welfare for 17 years.
Childwatch aims to link troubled families with whatever help they need, such as counseling, health care or legal assistance. Childwatch teamed up with 10 agencies–from ABJ Community Services to Mile Square Health Center to the Metro Area Council of Black Churches and the Chicago Urban League–to help people in need.
“People are thirsty for this type of program,” said Holmes, director of operations at Eric Family Services, a group home on the West Side for teenage girls. “It lets the community deal with some of the issues before the state comes in.”
“Generally the family or neighbors knows something is going on,” Solomon said. “They may hear the children screaming or they may hear the parent involved in improper disciplinary action. The neighbors are first to know there are problems before others know.
“We can’t look to institutions all the time. The government doesn’t make good parents,” Solomon added. “We have to recognize that a child is taken care of better in their community, and we need to do it.”
