Northwestern SWAT participates in the Wooden Children Project

April 12, 2024

The Care Campus’s “Wooden Children” are on display at the Garfield County Courthouse lawn for the month of April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Members of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Social Workers Association of Tomorrow (SWAT) recently participated in the Wooden Children Project sponsored by The Care Campus.

The Care Campus, previously known as the Garfield County Child Advocacy Council, has conducted the Wooden Children Program annually for more than a decade.

The Wooden Children Project is designed to bring awareness to the number of child abuse and neglect cases that are reported each year. In 2023, 271 confirmed cases of child abuse were reported in Garfield County, an increase from the previous year.

"This initiative aims to increase awareness of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect within our communities,” Codi Harding, SWAT sponsor and assistant professor of social work, said. “SWAT hopes this project will remind the community that we have a responsibility in safeguarding children.”

Each wooden figurine is approximately two to three feet high and was cut out by volunteers from the Garfield County community. Volunteers also painted on the faces and hair.

The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Social Workers Association of Tomorrow (SWAT) chapter sponsored two “Wooden Children” for The Care Campus’s annual Wooden Children Project.

Organizations, businesses, groups and individuals were asked to “foster” a wooden child for $35. The group sponsoring the child dressed and displayed them. On April 5, the Wooden Children were taken to the Garfield County Courthouse lawn to be displayed for all of April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

SWAT would also like to remind the public that they are mandated reporters in the state of Oklahoma.

To volunteer with The Care Campus or become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) call (580) 242-1153.

To learn more about Northwestern’s Department of Social Work, visit www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/social-work or contact Harding at clharding@nwosu.edu or (580) 213-3148.

-NW-

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
sjdoherty@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480