BRAZOS VALLEY, Texas (KBTX) – As children across the Brazos Valley head back to school, local child advocacy nonprofit, Scotty’s House, is launching a first-of-its-kind regional safety campaign.
Scotty’s House has launched “Safe Start Brazos Valley,” a new campaign pairing law enforcement agencies from all seven Brazos Valley counties with Scotty’s House staff to deliver short, practical child safety videos on social media. The campaign kicks off as children return to classrooms — a time Scotty’s House says it consistently sees a spike in reports of child abuse.
“It takes a community to keep kids safe,” said Melanie Scarpace, Director of External Relations for Scotty’s House.
Why Back-to-School Matters
Scotty’s House says reports of child abuse tend to increase when school starts and again after winter break. Scarpace says that could be because children feel safe enough around teachers and school counselors to finally speak out.
Scarpace says Scotty’s House served more than 1,000 Brazos Valley children in 2025 — and that number is estimated to represent only about 10% of children actually experiencing abuse.
“One in ten children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday,” she said. “And of those, only ten percent will ever tell.”
She says the danger is rarely a stranger.
“Children are more likely to be abused by someone that they know — and sometimes that can make it harder for kids to speak out.”
What the Campaign Covers
Safe Start Brazos Valley is built around five core topics:
- Safe Routes — Getting to and from school safely (Bryan Police Department)
- Safe Adults — Identifying trusted adults children can turn to (Bryan Police Department / Scotty’s House)
- Safe Communities — Tools for adults to protect and report (Burleson County Sheriff’s Office / Department of Public Safety)
- Safe Online — Extending safety into digital spaces (College Station Police Department)
- Safe Conversations — Making it easier for children to speak and adults to listen (Texas A&M University Police Department)
Videos will begin rolling out on social media as school starts, with content continuing throughout the entire school year.
What Law Enforcement Wants Parents to Know
Bryan Police Department Public Information Officer Seth Waller says when it comes to protecting children, reporting quickly is critical.
“A lot of times we get, ‘hey, that happened this morning,’ and we’re already 6 or 8 hours behind the 8 ball,” Waller said. “Parents — be nosy in your kids’ business. Monitor their online social media, monitor their cell phones. And if you see something suspicious, document it.”
Waller says the community plays a key role in helping law enforcement act.
“If we don’t know about it, we can’t do anything about it,” he said.
Burleson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Randy Jackson says the campaign’s message extends beyond what many parents may expect.
“It’s a little bigger than stranger danger,” Jackson said. “We just want to make sure we’re looking after each other.”
Jackson says parents should frame phone monitoring as protection — not punishment.
“Have that conversation — look, this is not me spying on you, this is me making sure that you’re okay,” he said. “If something happens, I want you to be able to come and talk to me about it.”
If Something Doesn’t Feel Right — Report It
Scotty’s House says adults should never investigate a concern on their own. Instead, make the call and let authorities take it from there.
“If it’s enough of a concern to raise your suspicions, go ahead and make that report,” Scarpace said. “Make it in good faith and let the authorities figure out if it’s something that needs to be investigated further. For all you know, that may be the only time anyone reaches out to help a child.”
Resources
- 📍 Scotty’s House: scottyshouse.org
- 📞 Texas Abuse Hotline: 1-800-252-5400
- 💜 Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC): (979) 731-1000
- 🔗 Unbound Now B/CS 24/7 Crisis Referral: (979) 985-2430
- 🚨 Bryan Police Department: (979) 209-5300
- 🚨 College Station Police Department: (979) 764-3600
- 🚨 Brazos County Sheriff’s Office: (979) 361-4900
- 🚨 Burleson County Sheriff’s Office: (979) 567-2262
- 🚨 Emergency: 911
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