As I’m sure you know, this is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It was designated in 1983 as a time to raise awareness about child abuse & neglect and to bring communities together to promote strategies for prevention and to take steps to improve the well-being of children. The symbol of this month is a blue pinwheel. I remember many years of seeing fields of blue pinwheels, and even “planting” them myself. While I know that some organizations and individuals have still managed to display pinwheels, I haven’t been out to see them due to the COVID-19 quarantine. I miss those pinwheels.
More importantly, I miss the community events that usually occur in April, but I know there have been many efforts to continue the spirit of this month through technology. The Children’s Bureau is providing online resources through the Child Welfare Information Gateway. Prevent Child Abuse America, and its chapters, are providing opportunities to participate in National Child Abuse Prevention Month through social media and other digital methods. PCAA also has a virtual pinwheel map for which you can purchase pinwheels. We at NFPN are proud to have a pinwheel in this garden!
I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight NFPN’s role in preventing child abuse & neglect. We promote family preservation and reunification services, which are focused on secondary and tertiary prevention. To support these efforts, NFPN offers many resources that can be accessed on/through our website. Speaking of our website, it has recently been updated with new information … we recommend you check it out.
Our hearts go out to everyone who is struggling with COVID-19 and issues related to it. We hope and pray that next April we’ll be joining together in person throughout the country to honor National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Posted by Michelle Reines, NFPN Executive Director
Leave a Comment