Greenville First Steps – Project Pinwheel 2014

PROJECT PINWHEEL EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE

PRESENTED BY: GREENVILLE FIRST STEPS • GREENVILLE HEALTH SYSTEM THE CHILDREN’S TRUST OF SOUTH CAROLINA • AUGUSTA HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH • PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF GREENVILLE • SCAEYC • GREENVILLE COUNTY DSS • JELLY BEANS HAIR DESIGNS FOR KIDS & TEENS A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE HOLLINGSWORTH FUNDS FOR MAKING PROJECT PINWHEEL POSSIBLE

A MESSAGE FROM GREENVILLE FIRST STEPS

Three years ago, leaders from Children’s Trust of South Carolina called together partners from across the state to brainstorm on the development of a child abuse prevention campaign. Each partner was given a single, blue and silver pinwheel, the national symbol of child well-being and hope, and challenged to develop a local effort to spread the word—not just about child abuse, but about the small things families, churches, and neighborhoods are doing daily to help keep kids safe, nurtured and well cared for.

“ C om m u n i t i es ac r o s s the c o untr y a re

Project Pinwheel is a community wide effort, and is serving as a model to the state for how a community can pool its resources to help protect our most vulnerable.

l ook i n g t o G reen vi l l e SC , o nc e agai n, t o

Greenville First Steps Executive Director

serv e as m od el of h ow ou r col l ect i v e

We shared an image of a sea of blue pinwheels stretching across the state. In Greenville, First Steps built a coalition of partners including Greenville Department of Social Services, the Hollingsworth Fund, the Julie Valentine Center, The United Way of Greenville County, the Greenville Health System, and Augusta Heights Baptist Church. That first year, we planted 20,000 pinwheels in 100 gardens.

i m p act c an m ak e a di f f er enc e. ”

Now, three years later, we have 35,000 pinwheels: one for every child under 6 in Greenville County. We have over 200 partners including churches, schools, non-profits, businesses, and neighborhoods. The voices of support have been overwhelming, and the enthusiasm is spreading. Communities across the country are looking to Greenville SC, once again, to serve as model of how our collective impact can make a difference.

But the campaign doesn’t end with the pinwheel gardens; we have a community walk for prevention, a series of family events, advocacy work, a Celebration Sunday for the Faith community, and Pinwheel Tales, a great children’s cd of locals recording songs, stories and words of encouragement for Greenville families.

There are ways for everyone to get involved. Visit www.ProjectPinwheel.com and learn how you can help. You can plant a garden, walk with your friends, pray for children and families, and reach out to young families to offer them support.

Project Pinwheel is community wide Child Abuse prevention effort, coordinated by Greenville First Steps with support from several partner agencies including Children’s Trust of SC, Greenville Health System, Greenville County Department of Social Services, Long Branch Baptist Church, and Primrose School of Greenville.

The purpose of Project Pinwheel is to celebrate the small things families, neighbors, and community members can do to help keep children safe and secure. Project Pinwheel is built around nationally recognized research. You can learn more at www.projectpinwheel.com.

DETAILS AVAILABLE AT

P roje ct Pi n w h eel.co m 2

PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

A Message from Greenville First Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Advisory Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Protective Factors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 What is Project Pinwheel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Pinwheel Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Walk for Prevention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Week of the Young Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Celebration Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Pinwheel Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Community Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Pinwheel Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Literacy Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Project Pinwheel Sponsors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

TO THE PROJECT PINWHEEL ADVISORY TEAM Tom LeGrand

Augusta Heights Baptist Church

Peggy Baxter

Long Branch Baptist Church

Jessie McGuire

YMCA of Greenville

Robin Longino

Julie Valentine Center

Karen Allen

Greenville County Library

Julie Hartman

Bob Jones University

Grady Patterson

Greenville First Steps Board of Directors

Yam Watthanasuk Greenville Fellows Program

Erica McKlesky

BOOST Greenville

Brandon Blake Pendleton Place

Barb McInerney Disciples UMC CDC/GCCA

Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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Building Strong FamilieS. KeePing KidS SaFe.

Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that serve as buffers and supports, helping parents who might otherwise be at risk for abusing or neglecting their children.

They help families find resources, supports and coping strategies to parent more effectively, especially under stress.

While April is child abuse prevention month, protecting children is something we do all year.

Be Strong and FlexiBle Families who can cope with the stresses of everyday life, such as unemployment, poverty, and homelessness, as well as an occasional crisis, have resilience. Resilience often comes from inner strengths such as faith, humor, supportive relationships and flexibility.

Have FriendS Families need people they can call on when they need a sympathetic listener, advice or support (such as a babysitter or ride to work). Conversely, research has shown that families who are isolated with few friends are at higher risk for child abuse and neglect.

Know How to Find Help When families do not have steady income, lack health insurance, or suffer a family crisis such as a natural disaster or the incarceration of a parent, their ability to care for their children may be at risk. Connecting families to help can prevent the unintended neglect that sometimes occurs.

Strategies, resources and more information are available. scChildren.org/StrongFamilies

Know How CHildren grow When families are aware of normal development and milestones, they know how to respond to and effectively manage a child’s behavior to prevent frustration. This prevents harsh discipline or emotional withdrawal.

Help CHildren Handle tHeir FeelingS Social and emotional competence means helping children learn to handle their feelings, a complicated and long-term task. Teaching young children about sharing, cooperation, and taking turns can make parenting easier and reduce stress in the home.

SHow CHildren love and reSpeCt Families can struggle with the demands of work, home and other responsibilities. Many families feel they do not have enough time with their children. Small acts of kindness, protection and caring — a hug, a kiss or a smile — make a big difference to children. Research shows that babies who receive affection and nurturing from their families have the best chance of developing into happy, healthy and competent children, teens and adults.

PROJECT PINWHEEL COMPONENTS

Project Pinwheel is a collaborative project to promote the protective factors every family can adopt to help keep children safe and secure. The purpose of Project Pinwheel is intended to help spread the good news of the work being done in our community, and to promote the little things every family can do to help keep children safe and secure.

The pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse prevention. This year, we will plant over 35,000 pinwheels throughout Greenville County in over 200 pinwheel gardens – that’s one pinwheel for every child under the age of six.

New in 2014, Project Pinwheel will host the inaugural Walk for Prevention on March 30th to kick off Child Abuse Prevention month. For more information, see pages 8 and 9.

Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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DETAILS AVAILABLE AT

A Child’s Haven Aldersgate CDC Allen Temple A.M.E. Church Augusta Heights Baptist Church Augusta Road Baptist Church CDC BankLine Mortgage Corp.

Bethel United Methodist Church BOOST Brown Mackie College Ambassador Club Building Blocks Learning Center Buncombe Street UMC CDC Buncombe Street United Methodist Church Camp Opportunity Cancer Society of Greenville Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Center for Developmental Services Chick-fil-A - Pelham Road Children’s Advocacy Greenville Health System Children’s Museum of the Upstate Christ Church Episcopal Church of the Nazarene Church of the Redeemer City Kids CDC City of Greer City of Simpsonville - Clock Tower, Heritage Park, Woodside Park Classy Kids CDC Clearview Baptist Church Communities in Schools Sites* Community Journals Community Mission Baptist Church Compass of Carolina Cytec Industries Daisy Patch Pre-K Disciples CDC DNA Creative Communications Dunbar CDC Ebenezer United Methodist Church Engenius Envirocare Landscape Management

Especially Children CDC Firehouse Subs* First Baptist Greenville First Christian Church First Presbyterian Church-Greenville First Presbyterian Church-Simpsonville Friends of the Greenville County Library System Furman University CDC Gardening For Good Gateway Academy Genco Pools & Spas Glassy Mountain Fire District Golden Strip CDC Greenview CDC Greenville Chamber of Commerce Greenville County DSS Greenville County Library System* Greenville County Rec* Greenville Family Partnership Greenville First Steps Greenville Forward Greenville News Greenville Tech CDC Growing Home Southeast Homes of Hope Hopewell UMC Learning Center Imagination Station Mauldin Industrial Fire Systems Institute for Child Success International Center Jelly Beans Hair Designs for Kids Julie Valentine Center Junior League of Greenville Kids R Kids Latchkey Kids Lea’s Little Lambs Childcare LEAD Academy Legacy Academy * Lifelong Learning Adult Ed. Greenville Co. Schools

Little Steps Little Wonder Learning Center Long Branch Baptist Church Mauldin United Methodist Church Mauldin United Methodist Preschool & Kindergarten Mental Health America Meyer Center for Special Children Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church Montessori School of Greenville Mt. Creek Baptist Church Museum and Gallery at Heritage Green Nicholtown Neighborhood Association North Greenville University Early Childhood Association Northwest Crescent CDC Nurse Family Partnership Oakview Elementary School Oakview Elementary School Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School Our Savior Lutheran School Overbrook CDC Park Place Children’s Center Patients First Pelham Rd Baptist Church and CDC Pendleton Place for Children & Families Pleasant Valley Connections Poetic Word Ministries, Inc. Primrose School of Greenville Proaxis Therapy* Redemption World Outreach Center Reedy Fork Baptist Church Renfrew CDC ReWiGo Ministries Riley CDC Rock of Ages Baptist Church Safe Harbor Saint Paul United Methodist Church Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center SCAEYC - Clemson University Chapter

ScanSource Scota Karate Academy Shannon Forest Christian School SHARE Head Start* Small Impressions CDC Sonshine Learning Center South Carolina Children’s Theatre Springfield Baptist Church St Joseph’s Catholic School St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School St. Giles Presbyterian Church Preschool Standing Springs Baptist Church CDC Studio One Summit Drive Elementary School Sunshine House Swamp Rabbit Crossfit Taylors Fire District The Phoenix Center* TJ Way Trinity United Methodist Church (Fountain Inn) Trinity United Methodist Church (Greenville) Unicomm Media Group Unique Kidz at Davis Academy United Way of Greenville County Upcountry History Museum - Furman University Upstate Fatherhood Coalition Urban League USC Upstate Greenville UU World of Children Wade Hampton Fire Dept West Prentiss Avenue Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice Wyche Professional Association Yeargin Potter Shackelford Const.

YMCA of Greenville* Young Woman’s Auxiliary of the Reedy River Baptist Association YouthBASE

Pinwheel Garden Sites as of March 2014

On March 30th at 2:00pm, the inaugural 1.5 mile

WALK FOR PREVENTION

Project Pinwheel Walk for Prevention will take place. An expected 500 participants will meet at First Baptist Greenville and walk down the Swamp Rabbit Trail with pinwheels to the Julie Valentine Statue in Cleveland Park. Once the walkers arrive, everyone will plant pinwheels in one of South Carolina’s largest pinwheel gardens.

Who: Anyone: Children, Youth, and Families What: 1.5 mile walk on Swamp Rabbit Trail When: Sunday March 30th , 2:00pm W here: First Baptist Greenville

First Baptist Greenville will host several community organizations who will be conducting activities for the children and families attending the walk.

Every participant will receive two pinwheels to plant and a Project Pinwheel t-shirt. While the event is free to participate, walkers are encouraged to help raise funds to support Project Pinwheel.

(847 Cleveland Street, Greenville)

Join us for the walk, plant pinwheels in Cleveland Park, stay for family friendly activities and snacks.

We encourage teams to raise money amongst their friends and families to support their group walking by sharing the registration site.

Brought to you by: Augusta Heights Baptist Church, First Baptist Greenville, and Chick-Fil-A Pelham Road

3 ad -Augusta Heights Baptist2014.pdf

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Visit ProjectPinwheel.com to see more details on the Walk for Prevention and to make a donation.

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We’re on a mission...to protect children from abuse and neglect.

Augusta Heights Baptist Church has a long and proud history of providing outreach and support to our communities.

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We are proud to support Project Pinwheel for a 3rd year.

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Having our roots deep in Baptist heritage, we are a progressive, missional group of believers united in faith in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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Please visit our website for information about our worship services, missions, and ministry.

3018 Augusta St. | Greenville, SC | 864.299.1180 | augustaheights.com

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PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

Join us for the inaugural

Walk for Prevention

Sunday, March 30th 2:00pm First Baptist Greenville Walkers will receive a FREE t-shirt and walk to the Julie Valentine Memorial and plant one of the largest pinwheel gardens in South Carolina!

Project Pinwheel, Greenville’s child abuse prevention campaign, takes place in April and kicks-off with the Walk for Prevention. Project Pinwheel is a collaborative project to promote the little thing every family can do to help keep children safe and secure.

Visit www.ProjectPinwheel.com to learn more!

T H I N G S TO D O

Calendar of Events March 30–April 30, 2014 Sunday •• Walk for Prevention

Monday (March 30)

Tuesday (March 31)

•• Celebration Sunday

•• Family Fun Spring Day

Wedn 1

•• Literacy Family Fun Night •• Pinwheel Planting

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•• Story Time at Mauldin Branch, Greenville

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•• Pinwheel Planting

•• Tell Me About It Tuesdays - Greenville Zoo

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County Library System

•• Pinkalicious

13 •• Water Safety Week

•• Wonder of Learning E

•• Picnic in the Park •• Night on the Green

14 •• Bouncing Babies

15 •• Party for the Planet

•• Story Time

•• EASTER SUNDAY

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•• Musical Jamboree

21

•• Tell Me a Story Theatre

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•• Mother Goose on the

•• Easter Family Camp

•• Friends of the Library Book Sale

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29 •• Julie Valentine Cente

Anniversary Celebrati

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PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

VISIT WWW.PROJECTPINWHEEL.COM/CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS ON ALL THESE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS AND MORE!

nesday

Exhibit

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er 40th ion

Thursday 2 •• World of Jan Brett

Friday 3 •• Starry Nights

•• Pinwheel Planting

Saturday 4 •• WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD BEGINS

•• Pinkalicious

•• Pinkalicious

•• Pinwheel Planting

•• Pinwheel Planting

5

•• Safe Kids Day

9

•• Family Story Time

10

•• Story Venture - Hughes Main Library

11 •• Bunny Brunch

•• SC Read-In

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•• Family Fitness Day •• Minority Health Summit •• Mauldin Easter Egg Drop

16 •• Living Gallery - Looking Unto Jesus

17 •• Easter Family Camp

18 •• Easter Family Camp

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23

24

25

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•• Storytime

•• Friends of the Library Book Sale

••

•• •• •• •• •• ••

Friends of the Library Book Sale Minority Health Summit Fountain Inn International Festival Greer Memorial Hospital Run 4 Fun Mess Fest Save the Frogs Day

We encourage you to use this calendar to plan fun family events in your community, and even add your own events! Easily removeable for display on your refrigerator, near your desk, or anywhere!

Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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Week of the Young Child What is Week of the Young Child?

at Heritage Green, Picnic in the Park at the Pavilion, Family Nights at local restaurants, YMCA Healthy Kids events, and training for Childcare providers.

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the

Join churches, schools, non-profits, businesses, neighborhoods, and government agencies, as we celebrate Week of the Young Child throughout Greenville County during the week of April 5–12. Learn more about our local activities at www.projectpinwheel.com/woyc.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

In Greenville, Week of the Young Child activities are sponsored by

Primrose School of Greenville, SCAEYC, Greenville First Steps and multiple local partners. Festivities include a Family Night

S P OT L I G H T O N :

Night at Heritage Green Join us for a family night at Heritage Green in downtown Greenville.

Reduced admissions to museums. FREE parking. FREE activities.

Who: Children and Families chedule: 5:00 Upcountry History Museum—Jan Brett Exhibit S

5:00 BJU Museum and Gallery—Pinwheel art project 5:00 Greenville Museum of Art—Hands on art activities 5:30 Awards & Special presentation by David Sudduth, Greenville City Council 6:00 Children’s Museum—Opens Late 6:00 Greenville Library-Comedy and Magic show with Jack Roper 7:00 Miss Nelson is Missing – Greenville Little Theater

Thankful to Project Pinwheel for continuing to empower the community to prevent child abuse.

Proud to team up with the Primrose School, Project Pinwheel, and Greenville First Steps to Celebrate Our Young Learners.

When: April 9th starting at 5:00 Where: Heritage Green, 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville

BE SURE TO VISIT PROJECTPINWHEEL.COM TO ORDER YOUR COPY OF

Pi n w heel Tale s , Vo l. 2 Ava ila b l e N o w 12

PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

JOIN US TO CELEBRATE

OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS! Week of the Young Child is a national campaign that brings attention to issues affecting children 0-8 and their families.

Organizations throughout the community are partnering to provide families with fun and educational events throughout the week. Please join us in celebrating our youngest learners!

For more information, visit www.projectpinwheel.com/Greenvillewoyc

WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD SPECIAL EVENTS Safe Kids Day Special thanks to Week of the Young Child Sponsor Primrose School of Greenville

Sat. April 5, 10AM-2PM Haywood Mall Presented by Safe Kids Upstate

Family Picnic

Tues. April 8, 6pm George I Theisen YMCA Travelers Rest Presented by YMCA of Greenville

Picnic in the Park

Wed. April 9, 10AM-noon Pavillion Recreation Complex Presented by SC Child Care Resource & Referral

Family Fitness Day

Sat. April 12, 9AM-noon Caine Halter YMCA Presented by YMCA of Greenville

Week of the Young Child

Partners

Night on the Green

Wed. April 9, 5PM-8PM Heritage Green Downtown Greenville Join Clifford the Big Red Dog, Magician Jack Roper, and characters from the Greenville Little Theatre for a family night at Heritage Green. Discounted admission to most events. FREE Parking. FREE games, snacks and activities. Presented by Greenville First Steps, Primrose School of Greenville, SCAEYC, Chick-fil-A Pelham Road, and the Heritage Green partners including Bob Jones Museum and Gallery, Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville Little Theatre, Hughes Main Library and Upcountry History Museum Children’s Trust of SC Greenville First Steps Primrose School of Greenville Project Pinwheel SCAEYC SC Child Care Resource & Referral United Way of Greenville County

FA I T H CO M M U N I T Y

Celebration Sunday Faithful Stewards: Peggy Baxter & Tom LeGrand Project Pinwheel is a collaborative partnership between local non-profits, businesses, schools, and government entities. We are excited to add a faith community engagement team to our Advisory Committee. Yam Watthanasuk, a Fellow with the Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church Greenville Fellows program sat down with Peggy Baxter, Long Branch Baptist Church, and Tom LeGrand, Augusta Heights Baptist Church to discuss Project Pinwheel.

Yam: Project Pinwheel is a community wide effort to promote what everyone can do to help protect our most vulnerable children and families. Why did your church get involved in Project Pinwheel?

Peggy: At a community meeting I heard Derek Lewis discuss the project and saw it as another opportunity for my church to be involved in supporting families to develop healthy confident children.

Tom: Planting the Pinwheel Garden in our church yard was the first project for Augusta Heights as I began my tenure as pastor. Over the last two years, I’ve learned a great deal about the importance of First Steps, particularly in relation to its role in awareness and prevention of child abuse and am happy our church is still involved.

Yam: There is a lot of talk about the role of the faith community in the Upstate.

How does the Church help strengthen families?

Tom: Too many children live in an environment of despair because someone is hurting them. Churches offer a chance to educate church families and our community as a whole about how we can do more to change the lives of those children.

Yam: Research shows that Social Connections, our positive relationships with one another, are among the most effective Child Abuse prevention methods. How do churches help families build social connections with one another?

Peggy: Churches and other faith-based entities provide developmentally appropriate programs and activities for families to interact with one another.

Tom: Effective church congregations are built upon social connections. Whether you are in a congregation of 8,000 or 80, your church home can be a place where families can turn to one another as peers, mentors, and rely on those networks of support.

Peggy: In addition to ministering to spiritual needs, churches express love and care to families and work outside its walls in support of healthy communities for all.

Proudly supports the work of Greenville First Steps and Project Pinwheel

DETAILS AVAILABLE AT

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PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

P R OJ E C T P I N W H E E L P R E S E N T ’ S

Pinwheel Tales

Research shows that children who read or are read to 15 minutes a day are likely to enter school ahead of their peers. We also have found that children who sing or listen to stories in the car are less likely to stress their parents out on long trips.

To help with both findings, we are

excited to launch Pinwheel Tales, ol 2! This collection of children’s songs, stories, nursery rhymes and tips for parents and children to share. Listen to an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland or sing along with Doug Jones to the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Thank you to our fifteen artists who contributed works including representatives from the Greenville Library system, Long Branch Baptist Church, SC Children’s Theatre, Gethsemane Baptist Church and Furman University.

10,000 Copies of Pinhweel Tales Vol. 2 will be distributed to children and families across the upstate, primarily through our pinwheel garden locations. You can listen to Pinwheel Tales for free or make a donation and receive a copy in the mail by visiting

www.projectpinwheel.com

Taking Steps for Our Children

Listen online by scanning the QR Code: CDs mailed as thank you to any projectpinwheel.com donors

Children’s Hospital of Greenville Health System (GHS) thanks Greenville First Steps for leading the way in the prevention of child abuse.

P inwheel Tales, Vol. 2 Track List:

We all take child abuse prevention a step in the right direction by caring for our most valuable resource—our children. At GHS Children’s Hospital, we provide patients and their families the full spectrum of care—medical to emotional needs, primary to specialty services and prevention to rehabilitation. We recognize that children aren’t small adults, and one size doesn’t fit all, so we deliver “whole child” care that’s just the right size.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Traysie Amick, SC Children’s Theatre Brer Rabbit and the Little Girl – Vanessa Weber, SC Children’s Theatre If You’re Happy and You Know It – FUTones, Furman University Happy Birthday Moon – Thelma Bigsby, Gethesemane Baptist Church Alice in Wonderland Excerpt – Brock Koonce, Brown Mackie College Itsy Bitsy Spider – Doug Jones Miss Moppet – Linda Russell, Springfield Baptist Church Good Manners – Valisa Smith, Long Branch Baptist Church The Wolf and the Seven Goats – Lyn Riddle, the Greenville News Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Nikki Brown Creation Story – Pastor Emanual Duncan, Gethsemane Baptist Church Sally the Camel – Gail Moore, Greenville County Library System Home for Soup – Amy Ryberg-Doyle and Family, Greenville City Coucil Country Mouse – Blair Zeimetz, Furman University Heav’n Heav’n – Tina Broussard, Christ Church Episcopal

Working together, we can keep our children healthy and safe. Let’s step up!

ghschildrens.org 130211

Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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P R OJ E C T P I N W H E E L

Community Voices

Spotlight On: Keith A. Frazier, C ounty Director, Greenville C ounty Department of Social Services Greenville County DSS takes our mission very seriously, which is: “To efficiently and effectively serve the citizens of South Carolina by ensuring the safety of children and adults who cannot protect themselves and assisting families to achieve stability through child support, child care, financial and other temporary benefits while transitioning into employment.”

The Human Services division of Greenville DSS is charged with identifying children who are or may be in danger of abuse or neglect, and to promote

their safety and well-being. In order to support this goal, we have embraced procedures which are “best practices’ in human services organizations. A “best practice” is defined as “a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark.”

A significant best practice that Human Services uses regularly is “Signs of Safety.” This technique has several practice principles: • Respect service participants as people worth doing business with • Always search for detail • Treat the interview as a form for change • Focus on creating small change • Recognize that all families have signs of safety • Treat the practice principles as aspirations not assumptions • Cooperate with the person, not the abuse

• Offer choices • Don’t confuse case details with judgments • Recognize that cooperation is possible even where coercion is required • Learn what the service recipient wants • Maintain a focus on safety We know that by using these principles, the children in our care will have the best possible chance for a safe, risk-free, and productive life.

Signs of Safety (SOS) is an internationally recognized solution and safety oriented approach to child protection.

Signs of Safety is forensic and rigorous in exploring harm and danger in a child’s life, while at the same time eliciting and inquiring into strengths and safety measures that are present, or can be built from within the child’s family and community network to keep them safe. (Murphy, June 2013)

If you or someone you know has been impacted by child abuse or sexual assault: •• call our 24 hour hotline at 864.467.3633 •• Contact the Julie Valentine Center at 864.331.0560 •• Child or Adult Counseling: ext. 245 •• Community Education: ext. 226 •• Parent Support Groups: ext. 231

Julie Valentine Center has been providing recovery and healing services to the community for 40 years 16

PROJECT PINWHEEL

•• Volunteer: ext.229 •• Support or Sponsor: ext. 228

www.julievalentinecenter.org 2905 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29605 Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

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POST A PICTURE OF YOUR PINWHEEL FAMILY ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

Facebook.com/prjectpinwheel Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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Literacy Grants Awarded: Change a Life in Just 15 Minutes a Day

Your child deserves the best early care and education.

Children who read or are read to daily are more likely to succeed in school.

New in 2014, Greenville First Steps awarded 20 Early Literacy grants to nonprofits, schools, and churches to increase access to books and reading.

Special thanks to Grady Patterson, Greenville YWCA and Greenville Literacy for helping make these projects possible.

Research shows that young children, birth to 5 years of age, who experience high quality learning environments, are more likely to arrive at school ready to learn and ultimately are better prepared to succeed in life. Spartanburg County is fortunate to have Quality Counts, a quality rating and improvement system for early care and education programs. A partnership between Spartanburg County First Steps and the Mary Black Foundation, Quality Counts uses a 5 star rating system to communicate the level of quality in participating programs. Choosing the early care and education program that is right for your family can be overwhelming. Let Quality Counts help you with one of the most important decisions you will make for your child’s future.

Literacy Grant Recipients: Caine Halter Family YMCA Golden Strip CDC Bob Jones Teacher Education Division

S019-1659379

Pendleton Place for Children and Families

spar tanburgqualit ycounts.org

The Children’s Museum of the Upstate Long Branch Baptist Church Project Host USC Upstate Trinity United Methodist Church A Childs Haven

1steps.org

www.uwpiedmont.org

mar yblackfoundation.org

QualityCounts 900 South Pine Street | Spartanburg, South Carolina

864.327.4900

Family Effect Upcountry History Museum Disciples CDC St Anthony of Padua Catholic School Julie Valentine Center Pelham Road CDC YouthBase SHARE Head Start Tommie Brooks CDC Little Steps His Day Care

DETAILS AVAILABLE AT

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PROJECT PINWHEEL

Empowering the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

T H A N K YO U TO O U R G E N E R O U S

Sponsors

Blue Tent · First Presbyterian Church - Greenville · Nicholtown Neighborhood Association Park Place Children’s Center · Stillwind Ministries · Swam Rabbit Crossfit Trinity United Methodist Church - Fountain Inn · Wyche, PA

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P in wheel Ta le s , Vo l. 2 Av ai l a b l e N o w Brought to you by Greenville First Steps

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TURNING TOWARD A SAFER WORLD FOR CHILDREN April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Be part of the movement. } Plant a pinwheel garden. } Share your prevention events and activities on our website. } Access and share community prevention tips and resources. } Learn about protective factors. } Be an advocate. } Use #scPinwheels on Twitter for social sharing.

scChildren.org/CAPmonth Celebrating Our 30th Year of Serving South Carolina’s Children

Greenville First Steps wishes to thank our community for keeping kids safe.

Children’s Trust is home to Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina.