Video Presentations & Interview
The following are videos contained throughout this training. It is not necessary to watch all of them from this page, however they have been assembled in one place for review.
Megan’s Story is a dramatized short video with involving actors
that depicts an abuse scenario and a reporter who calls OCS to report
abuse. None of the events or people in this video are related to or
meant to depict real events or actual people. This is a fictional story
developed for the purpose of educating the general public about the
process of reporting child abuse.
In this video an Alaska OCS worker talks about why it
is important to report suspected abuse even when the signs do not seem
to necessarily indicate serious abuse.
In this video a former Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) worker talks
about Tribal workers, reporting in Tribal communities, and some of the
concerns that arise when reporting in a small village
The young woman in this video, who is a former victim of abuse, talks
about why a child may not disclose and why it is so very important that
everyone who is around a child pays close attention to the signs of
abuse.
In this short video an Office of Children's Services Social Worker talks
about how to respond when a child chooses to disclose to you.
How to Support the Child. In this video an OCS worker discusses the importance of supporting the child victim after the child has disclosed regarding abuse. It is important to believe and be supportive. The best way to support a child who has disclosed abuse is to encourage their participation in normal healthy activities, to listen if the child feels the need to talk, and to be there for the child.
In this video a reporter describes a particular incident from the point
of time when the child discloses to the time of reporting, and
follow-up actions by the reporter, the Alaska State Troopers and the
protective family members of the child victim.
Do’s and Don’ts. In this video a medical doctor sand
child advocacy center medical director who specializes in child abuse
investigations emphasizes what is important to do and not to do when a
considering making a report.
In this video an OCS Intake Supervisor describes the
information that is helpful to OCS when a report is made and the advice
he often gives to reporters regarding what to remember to report and
what to look for when they think a child may have been abused.
The Young Woman in the following video was removed from her home after
multiple incidents and reports indicating that she was unsafe. Her story
highlights the importance of being vigilant and persistent in reporting
perceived abuse. This adult former foster child was eventually adopted
and had a happy outcome after numerous traumatic incidents in her life.
She describes trauma that occurred after she was taken into care, such
as separation from her siblings, but emphasizes that she was still
better off than if she had been left in her original home. While the
child protection system is far from perfect the State of Alaska, Office
of Children’s Services and its partners such as Tribal organizations and
youth advocacy groups are working hard to make the system better and to
reduce unnecessary trauma to children who must be placed in out of home
care. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or would like
learn more about how you could provide support to foster children in
Alaska you can find additional information under the “Resources” link
below.