National Child Abuse Prevention Month is April
7 Ways You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1 in every 7 kids were child abuse victims within the last year. Child abuse is a serious public health issue that poses long-term risks to our children.
Since 1983, during the Reagan administration, the United States has designated April as Child Abuse Prevention National Month. We commit this month to building awareness and preventing child abuse and neglect. Vitally important, we must all do our part to support good parenting and healthy families for children.
Every month is a good month to act and prevent child abuse in America. You can protect children from abuse during any month of the year and, in fact, all year long.
Why wait? Here are seven actions you can take to protect and care for children and families today.
1 - Stay in-the-Know
Keep children safe from harm by educating yourself about protective factors. Get involved in education sessions in your local area where experts share the latest information. Watch for your area's highest-rated community after-school activities, parenting classes, and mentoring programs.
You can find information online about types of child abuse and how to recognize signs of abuse. To be proactive, learn about protective factors that prevent child abuse from happening in the first place.
According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, protective factors are family and community conditions that increase the well-being of children and families. In safeguarding wellness, protective factors reduce the likelihood of abuse or maltreatment. Research shows they are both assets and an intervention strategy.
The presence of protective factors helps parents and caregivers cope during times of stress. They reduce the windows of time and conditions when abuse is most likely to occur.
The six protective factors include:
- Nurturing and attachment - Quality interactions with parents help children feel loved and supported over time.
- Knowledge of parenting - Parental understanding of child and youth development helps them respond to and support children and youth.
- Resilience - Parents' ability to adapt and allows them to manage life's inevitable challenges.
- Social support - A personal emotional and moral support network is a safety net of family, friends, and community members.
- Concrete supports - Parental access to income and/or resources that support essential child and family needs creates stability.
- Social and emotional competence - Natural and learned skills allow children to self-regulate emotions and effectively communicate their needs.
2 - Share Resources
Knowledge is power. Educate others by sharing resources or providing access to information. The more people understand about preventing child abuse, the more they'll be able to help.
Private and state agencies are excellent resources for educational materials. Representatives are grateful for the help in getting this information out to the public and helping more kids. Contact your local foster or adoption child-placing agency. You can also reach your state's Department of Children and Families Services.
3 - Teach Kids Their Rights
Kids who grow up understanding they have rights are more likely to advocate for themselves. Knowing what rights are theirs prevents children from becoming vulnerable to abuse and maltreatment.
By contrast, children who don't learn they have a right to personal safety are less likely to speak up for themselves. Vulnerable children are more likely to believe abuse is their fault. Therefore, they are also less likely to report their abusers or seek help.
4 - Identify the Signs of Child Abuse
Abuse comes in many different forms. People often think of more well-known types, including physical abuse and abuse involving sexual contact. However, other kinds of abuse threaten and harm the health and well-being of children. Emotional abuse and neglect also negatively impact a child's sense of self and feelings of self-worth.
Among the different types of abuse, neglect is the most common form of abuse. Four kinds of neglect where children's needs go unmet include:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Medical
- Educational
Many adult and child victims of abuse hide in plain sight. Learn how to spot the signs that a child may be a victim of abuse or neglect. Be aware of signs, including:
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Fear of a specific person or adults of one gender
- Social issues with trust or forming friendships
- Sudden changes in eating habits, sleep patterns, or mental health
- Age-inappropriate sexual behavior or knowledge of sexual acts
- Poor hygiene or sudden changes in hygiene habits
- Secrecy or hostility
- Frequent medical care for injuries, including those resulting from physical violence
- Weather-inappropriate clothing that may be covering signs of physical force or other abuse
For children in your life, be aware of substance abuse or other family problems that could indicate abuse.
Signs of abuse may become easier to spot in long-term cases. Therefore, it's important to be aware of these and other early indicators.
5 - Report Abuse
If you see someone harming a child or have evidence of abuse, act immediately. Contact Child Protective Services (CPS) or call 800-422-4453. You can also reach your local department of health, law enforcement, or health care provider.
If you suspect someone has an abusive partner, use these same options to seek help.
If a child confides in you about abuse, take care of the child as you get support:
- Listen carefully - Pay attention to details and give the child your full attention.
- Reassure the child they did the right thing by telling an adult, and you will help.
- Reinforce that they have no fault in the actions of their abuser.
6 - Volunteer Time
Seek community involvement where you can be a positive presence for children and families. Your presence shows children that you care and are willing to support them.
Be present for the children in your life. Taking an interest and modeling healthy relationships is in itself a preventative measure.
7 - Spread the Word
Teach others how to spot and report suspected child abuse. Use your social media network to call out the effects kids suffer from child abuse. Share resources that show how adults can be reliable, nurturing parents.
Share family support resources. Use your voice to talk with people in your community:
- Birth parents
- Family members
- Foster and adoptive families
- Support groups for children in foster care
- Social workers
We all play a significant role in protecting children from abuse and neglect. As a foster or adoptive parent or as a community member in the lives of children, we all make a difference.
April's National Child Abuse Prevention Month Has Never Been More Important
April is the month many will start conversations about preventing child abuse. Remarkable child and family advocates speak out against child abuse every day. You can support children and advocates by building awareness or spotting signs of abuse in your community's children.
Together, we can help prevent child abuse. Learn more about protective factors or supporting children in the foster care system.
Continue investing time and care into the nation's children. Your impact will build a brighter tomorrow for foster youth in need.
