More than 5,000 individuals who work with children gathered in Dallas this week for the Crimes Against Children Conference.
Irish Burch, president and CEO of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC), said that professionals come from around the world to attend the conference.
“Our goal is to equip them with the tools and everything that they need in order to go back and keep children safer in their community,” said Burch on Good Morning Texas, per WFAA.
The conference is held annually prior to the start of classes to help get childcare professionals ready for the school year.
“We know that when our children go back to school our child abuse referrals increase,” said Burch in an interview with NBC 5 DFW.
“It’s because teachers are our primary reporters. As that child gets into school, they feel safer with that teacher. Then they tell that teacher what’s happening in their homes. We want to make sure all our professionals are prepared for that time,” she added.
Burch said the conference is an opportunity for everyone in attendance to “come together and collaborate.”
“You can network and find other professionals that are doing the work. The hard work that you do. It’s also a time for you to be able to learn. For you to be able to understand what are the new best practices,” she said, per NBC 5.
Jennifer Schuett, who was kidnapped and almost killed back in 1990, said the conference is important to remind people that individuals like herself are “more than just a victim, but survivors as well.”
“It gives them an opportunity to hear firsthand stories … and hopefully give them the wherewithal to go back and work the cases with dedication,” she said on Good Morning Texas, per WFAA.
“To know that sometimes it may take months, years, decades, but they can work their cases with confidence and know that it’s for the families, friends, and victims themselves,” she said.
Conference attendee and law enforcement professional Kami Nelson said she might be able to utilize some of the information she learned on a cold case.
“I attended a workshop that involved a 47-year-old cold case in Fort Worth that they were able to solve using new technology,” Nelson said, according to NBC 5.
“We actually have a similar case, a 30-year-old cold case, that we plan to use some of the same technology to go back and advance on that case to get closure for that family,” she added.
According to the National Children’s Alliance, 600,000 children are abused in the United States every year. Roughly 1,820 children died from abuse and neglect in 2021.
In addition to the physical consequences, children who experience abuse or neglect also often suffer from psychological problems like anxiety or post-traumatic stress, according to the CDC.
Burch said the DCAC hopes to continue raising awareness while providing resources for those in need.
“We’d want you to be able to go to our website and be able to look for the resources that we have to ensure that you know how to identify when something is happening. How to talk to your own children about boundaries and keeping their own self safe,” said Burch, per NBC 5.
