Parenting Place Asks for City's Help

Gloria Morris, Executive Director of The Parenting Place, the home of Prevent Child Abuse Pickens County, recently shared some sobering statistics with Easley City Council.

“I’m here to speak for our children in Pickens County,” said Morris, who spoke at Monday’s Easley City Council meeting. “We are now number one in the entire state for neglect of children. We are number five in the state for sexual abuse of children. 

“What we do at The Parenting Place is work with first-time moms, pregnant teens,” she continued. “We work intensively with mother and father to give them the skills and the tools. Almost 90 percent of our clients were abuse victims themselves. So for us to break the cycle of abuse, we need to get them to hope, we need to get them to healing, we need to create a plan for their education and employment.”

The Parenting Place offers a number of programs aimed at creating healthy home environments and reducing child abuse and neglect, including Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WINGS) which provides one-on-one home visits to support women in building healthy relationships, parenting effectively, building life skills and gaining independence.

They also, in conjunction with Safe Harbor, offer counseling for domestic violence victims. Call Carrie Pettit at 864-467-1177, ext. 16 to make an appointment.

The Parenting Place is launching a new intensive mentoring program, with one-on-one sessions to “really help these parents become successful,” Morris said.

 “The only way to prevent abuse and neglect of our children is through education,” she said. 

“I’m calling on morality, I’m calling on our ethics, I’m calling on every single one of us, because most of our victims are five or younger and they cannot speak for themselves,” Morris said.

She referenced recent stories about teachers or coaches sexually abusing students.

Statistics state that 10 percent of the nation’s middle and high school students have had sexual encounters with a teacher, coach or administrator. 

“This is unacceptable,” Morris said. “We need to do better. I believe we can do better. Our schools are great – Dr. Pew is doing a great job … but I believe as a community we need help. $30 goes a long way at my agency but I get very few donations from the general public.”  

She urged city officials, as they prepare the city’s next budget, to consider “investing in your families here, investing in your parents.”

“We all have an ethical and moral obligation to do something and help our children,” Morris said.