WILMINGTON – Child abuse is your issue. That’s the key message from the 2022 Child Abuse Prevention Month awareness campaign debuting this April.

A collaboration of the Child Protection Accountability Commission’s Training Committee, this multi-faceted campaign seeks to raise awareness on social media and utilize DART bus shelters, state agency buildings, the Christiana Mall and Tanger Outlets to share messages. The campaign messaging is two-fold – how to recognize the signs and take action (call the report line) and how we all work together to prevent child abuse and neglect in the first place.

“Child Abuse Prevention Month is officially recognized once a year but our goal with this campaign is to foster awareness year-long. We know that by building up a family’s protective factors – ensuring safety, resiliency and support – we can help prevent negative outcomes,” said Rosie Morales, Chief Policy Advisor for the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate and Chair of the CPAC Training Committee. “As we commemorate the month, I encourage everyone to take action. You can take small steps today to make a big difference tomorrow: Learn about community-focused prevention measures to help a family in need, become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), participate in the virtual child abuse mandatory reporting training, or simply save the report line number in your phone. Child abuse prevention takes a community. We can accomplish so much, together.”

April is traditionally recognized in Delaware and around the country as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Led by Prevent Child Abuse America, the national awareness campaign “Growing a Better Tomorrow for All Children, Together” brings together communities and resources to protect and support strong, safe and resilient families. As we recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, those resources are even more important. When families struggle to have basic needs met such as employment, housing, food and more, family conflict and stressors rise. Providing support for both caregivers and youth can relieve that stress.

“Now more than ever, we need to band together in collective ways that help our families and children thrive. Too often, our society thinks of raising healthy children as a parent or caregiver’s responsibility alone,” said Kellie Turner, Prevent Child Abuse Delaware Interim Executive Director. “In reality, we all benefit when groups of people work together to collectively care for children.”

While reports to the Delaware Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line have rebounded in the months since the pandemic began – in Fiscal Year 2021 there were 20,543 reports – it is imperative to continue to raise awareness. If you are concerned about a child’s safety, don’t hesitate; call the report line at 1-800-292-9582 or make a report online at iseethesigns.org.

“While a phone call to the Delaware Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line is normally viewed as a negative or punitive action, the narrative should really be about helping and supporting families who have struggles. Every family has struggles; there is no shame and there is help in a time of need,” said Trenee Parker, Director of the Delaware Division of Family Services. “The intervention provided by the Division of Family Services can help a family to make positive changes that result in safer children and families who thrive well on their own. We can all make a difference in a child’s life, and we are thankful for our strong network of community partners committed to helping children grow a better tomorrow.”

Here is how to raise awareness and educate during Child Abuse Prevention Month:

Nurture protective factors for parents and caregivers. Research shows that protective factors support children and families having positive outcomes and a decreased risk for neglect and abuse. Protective factors include:

• Nurturing and attachment
• Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development
• Parental resilience
• Social connections
• Concrete supports for parents
• Social and emotional developmental well-being

Share resources that build resiliency. Connecting families to resources that meet their basic needs like employment, housing, and food, can help alleviate stressors.

Educate yourself on the signs of child abuse or neglect. Participate in the Protecting Delaware’s Children webinar series and/or the live/virtual Mandatory Reporting Training on 4/21.

Learn how to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Call 1-800-292-9582 to make a report of child abuse or neglect. Use the online portal iseethesigns.org to submit reports via any mobile device or desktop computer. These services are available 24/7, and reporters can choose to remain anonymous.

Wear blue on April 1! Wear Blue Day shows support for children and families. Post a photo or video on social media and include the #WearBlueDay2022 hashtag.

Additional Resources for Families:

Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line: Call 1-800-292-9582 or go to iseethesigns.org

24/7 Youth Crisis Support (youth mental health crisis help): Call 1-800-969-HELP(4357)

Crisis Text Line for Youth: Text DE to 741-741

Prevent Child Abuse Delaware

Beau Biden Foundation

Nemours Kids Health

Office of the Child Advocate

The Delaware Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance use disorders, and/or have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. It has four divisions: Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services, Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services, Division of Family Services and Division of Management Support Services. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.

Media Contact: Jen Rini, jen.rini@delaware.gov

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