Blog by Caitlin Oliver, Success By 6 Intern, United Way for Greater Austin
The Success By 6 Coalition is a community wide collaboration of child and family advocates – providers, parents, policymakers, civic leaders, and experts – with a shared goal to ensure every child born in the Austin area receives the support and care they deserve during their essential first 2,000 days. United Way for Greater Austin is the convener of this work in Austin/Travis County.
The Success By 6 Coalition (SX6) is made up of community stakeholders collectively creating a future in which all children in our community enter Kindergarten healthy, happy, and ready to succeed in school and life. To prepare all our youngest Austinites for school readiness, we partner with nonprofits in the community to deliver impactful services through four focus areas:
- Healthy beginnings
- Supported families
- High-quality care & education
- Safe & stimulating communities
Together with our partners, we are building a stronger foundation for Austin so all families can thrive.
This year we are expanding our support of whole families by participating in Blue Sunday and raising awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Blue Sunday is a day in which faith communities join together in prayer for children experiencing abuse and neglect. Each year this day of prayer falls on the last Sunday in April, which is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year, Blue Sunday is April 25, 2021.
Child abuse and neglect statistics in Travis County and Texas are heartbreaking:
- In Travis County,
- There were 1,430 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect under the age of 6 in fiscal year 2020;
- 363 children under the age of 6 were removed from their homes in fiscal year 2020; and
- At least 4 children died from abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2019.
- In Texas,
- In fiscal year 2020, 38,910 children under the age of 6 were confirmed victims of abuse and neglect;
- 9.531 children under the age of 6 were removed from their homes in fiscal year 2020; and
- 235 children of all ages died from abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2019. 60 percent of children who died from abuse or neglect in 2019 were too young for school and not enrolled in child care.
Join us on Sunday, April 25 to rally together for the children in our community and amplify our messaging around child abuse awareness and neglect prevention. The SX6 Coalition is partnering with churches in the Austin area to amplify this message as part of our Supported Families goal of the Success By 6 Coalition Strategic Plan. Together we can ensure families in Greater Austin have access to the resources that provide them with the knowledge, skills, confidence, and social supports to positively nurture the health, safety, and development of their children.
Please join us in supporting this initiative! Here’s how you can get involved….
If you’re a religious organization:
- Participate in the Blue Sunday Day of Prayer
- Encourage your members to wear blue on April 25, 2021 in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month
- Learn more about family support in Austin and the work SX6 is doing
- Sign up for the SX6 email list to stay involved
- Become a member of the SX6 Coalition, and join the next coalition orientation on March 11, 2021
If you’re a parent or caregiver (examples: child care worker, Bible school teacher, nanny, etc.):
- Sign up for Bright By Text to receive tips on development and engagement with the children in your life
- Follow United Way on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter @UnitedWayATX for more Success By 6 resources
- Continue to support healthy child development by reading, talking, and singing with the children in your life
- Use the tools you have to keep kids safe and healthy
If you’re a family service organization:
- Learn more about family support in Austin and the work SX6 is doing
- Sign up for the SX6 email list to stay involved
- Become a member of the SX6 Coalition, and join the next coalition orientation on March 11, 2021
If you’re a business leader:
- Join other business leaders at Early Matters Greater Austin working to strengthen early child education and create family friendly workplaces
- Learn more about family support in Austin and the work SX6 is doing
- Sign up for the SX6 email list to stay involved
- Become a member of the SX6 Coalition, and join the next coalition orientation on March 11, 2021
If you’re a Success By 6 Coalition member:
- Share this blog with your communities of faith in your network to raise awareness
- On Sunday, April 25, amplify the Blue Sunday message on your organization’s channels using #BlueSunday
Learn more about The Success By 6 Coalition on our website, and sign up for our newsletter to receive monthly stories of impact, opportunities to get involved, and updates on our strategic plan work.
Source links:
- Texas Department of Family & Protective Services. (2020). Fiscal year 2020 data: CPS completed investigations victims. Retrieved from https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/About_DFPS/Data_Book/Child_Protective_Investigations/Investigations/Victims.asp
- Texas Department of Family & Protective Services. (2020). Fiscal Year 2020 data: CPS removals. Retrieved from https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/About_DFPS/Data_Book/Child_Protective_Services/Conservatorship/Removals.asp
- Texas Department of Family & Protective Services. (2020). Fiscal Year 2019 Child Maltreatment Fatalities and Near Fatalities Annual Report. Available at