Center for Child Protection

Happy 11th birthday to our Chief Facility Dog, Mickler! 🎂🎈🎉

Mickler has been a source of courage and comfort for children during some of their toughest moments. Drop a comment to help us wish Mickler the happiest birthday!

A huge thank you to Oracle for helping prepare our courtyard for the Sergio & Angela Garcia Challenge Course ribbon-cutting ceremony! Volunteers spread new crushed granite, refreshed the garden beds, and helped create a beautiful setting for this exciting occasion.

We are incredibly grateful for your time, energy, and support. Your efforts helped make this milestone celebration one to remember! 🌟

An intentional question can create awareness and strengthen critical thinking. Understanding the difference between surprises and secrets helps your child identify unsafe situations and reinforces that a trusted adult should never ask them to keep secrets. 💙

Talk early. Talk often. Protect our kids.

Learn more at ProtectAustinKids.org

Come hang with us on September 19 at the fourth Annual Teresa Lozano Long Community Day at the Long Center! Part block party, part arts fest, we’ll be hanging out along with tons of other awesome organizations, arts groups, and food trucks from the community. And the best part - it’s totally free!! You can RSVP at https://bit.ly/4AbCkhx

This National Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week, we celebrate the dedicated professionals who help create safer, brighter futures for children and families.

At the Center for Child Protection, we are grateful for their unwavering commitment, compassion, and advocacy. Thank you for the vital work you do every day. 💙

We are so proud to see our Dancing with the Stars Austin Co-Chairs, Michael McCollum Adams, Jessica Balladares-Bennett and Jessica McCoy, featured in Austin Way Magazine as 2026 Dynamic Women! ⭐️

These three ladies have so many great surprises lined up to make the 20th anniversary of Dancing extra special, and we can't wait to see it all come together on December 5th! ✨🪩

Dancing with the Stars Austin is Presented by Mercedes-Benz of Austin and Jon & Michael Adams.

✨ Outreach Spotlight ✨ This month, we’re proud to highlight CapMetro!

CapMetro provides public transportation services throughout Austin and Central Texas, connecting individuals and families to employment, healthcare, education, and community resources. During this Spotlight, staff will learn about CapMetro’s bus, rail, Pickup, accessibility, and reduced-fare services, as well as new and expanded services in the area. This presentation will highlight how CapMetro can help reduce transportation barriers and better connect clients and families to essential services.

🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4gZofe8

Thank you, CapMetro, for helping keep our community connected! 💙🚌✨

Is it “bad behavior” or a dysregulated nervous system? 🤔 Knowing the difference can change outcomes for your child.

When children experience stress or trauma, their brains can shift into survival mode. Behaviors like aggression, defensiveness, withdrawal, or hyperactivity are often protective reactions — not intentional misbehavior. Understanding this can help you respond with more connection and less conflict.

Here's how you can support your child:
😌 Keep yourself calm.
❓ Get curious instead of judgemental.
⏱️ Give them time and space to process.
🧘 Practice breathing exercises together.

When children feel safe, supported, and understood, they’re better able to manage emotions and behaviors.

Learn more at our FREE September webinar, "Parenting with the Brain in Mind."

ProtectAustinKids.org