April is Child Abuse Prevention Month! The future of this great country of ours rests on our children. While the vast majority of parents have their kids’ best interest at heart, there is a surprising, and frightening, number of parents who do not. The reasons for abuse and neglect are many, but as a society we owe it them and to ourselves to make an effort to protect the kids in our midst. Below are some ideas how you can do your part to keep the kids in your community safe from child abuse.
Volunteer your time. Get involved with other parents in your community. Help vulnerable children and their families. Start a playgroup. Simple support for children and parents can be the best way to prevent child abuse. After school activities, parent education classes, mentoring programs, and respite care are some of the many ways to keep children safe from harm. Be a voice in support of these efforts in your community.
Discipline your children thoughtfully. Never discipline your child when you are upset.
Give yourself time to calm down. Remember that discipline is a way to teach your child.
Use privileges to encourage good behavior and time-outs to help your child regain control. Both words and actions can inflict deep, lasting wounds. Use your actions to show children and other adults that conflicts can be settled without hitting or yelling.
Support prevention programs. Too often, intervention occurs only after abuse is reported. Greater investments are needed in programs that have been proven to stop the abuse before it occurs–such as family counseling and home visits by nurses who provide assistance for newborns and their parents.
Know what child abuse is, and what the signs are. Physical and sexual abuse clearly constitute maltreatment, but so does neglect, or the failure of parents or other caregivers to provide a child with needed food, clothing, and care. Children can also be emotionally abused when they are rejected, berated, or continuously isolated. Unexplained injuries aren’t the only signs of abuse-depression, fear of a certain adult, difficulty trusting others or making friends, sudden changes in eating or sleeping patterns, inappropriate sexual behavior, poor hygiene, secrecy, and hostility are often signs of family problems and may indicate a child is being neglected or physically, sexually, or emotionally abused.
Report abuse. If you witness a child being harmed or see evidence of abuse, or if a child tells you about abuse, make a report to your state’s child protective services department or local police. When talking to a child about abuse, listen carefully, assure the child that he or she did the right thing by telling an adult, and affirm that he or she is not responsible for what happened.
Invest in kids. Encourage leaders in the community to be supportive of children and families. Ask employers to provide family-friendly work environments. Ask your local and national lawmakers to support legislation to better protect our children and to
improve their lives.
Write, visit, fax, phone, or e-mail your elected officials. Request that your governor, state legislators, county commissioners, and mayor proclaim the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and fly the Children’s Memorial Flag. Notify your U.S. Representative and Senators about activities to memorialize children lost to violence.
Participate in ceremonies to memorialize children. Read the names of children lost to violence in your state, hold a candlelight vigil, or host an event at your state capital to remember those children who were lost to violence.
Raise public awareness. Purchase a Children’s Memorial Flag and fly it on April 22nd, Children’s Memorial Day. Distribute information about Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Children’s Memorial Flag. Issue news releases, photographs, public service announcements, and compelling stories to the media, advocacy groups, parent-teacher organizations, police stations, hospitals, community centers, websites and special interest groups.
Support the Children’s Memorial Flag Postage Stamp Initiative. CWLA and Alameda County, California, are submitting a proposal for the Children’s Memorial Flag to be commemorated on a U.S. postal stamp. Click to learn more.
Encourage neighbors, church, workplace, the media, and business leaders to order the Children’s Memorial Flag.
Mail: CWLA
PO Box 932831
Atlanta GA 31193-2831
Call: 800/407-6273 (toll free)
770/280-4164
Fax: 770/280-4160
Approximately three million children are reported as maltreated to child welfare agencies around the country, and of those, two million warrant investigation. We all have an obligation to help protest kids. The children of today represent the future of our society! For more information about how you can help, check out the Child Welfare League of America’s website at www.cwla.org , or call 202-638-2952.
