Julia Wetmore says teachers are often the first line of defense against child abuse.
âInterestingly, when children are not with teachers our numbers drop off,â she said. âThatâs a scary thing.â
Wetmore is a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Childrenâs Advocacy and Protection Center (CAPC). She conducts medical exams on children who may be victims of abuse.
âTeachers are a lot of the time our first line of defense when it comes to abused children,â she continued. âThey are often reporters (of abuse), and they are very important in the health of kids.â
In a typical year, the CAPC will serve an average of 230 families and 335 children, said Director Adrienne Opdyke.