April 2014Vol. 15, No. 4April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Every April for the past 32 years, the Children's Bureau raises awareness about preventing child abuse and neglect through its National Child Abuse Prevention Month initiative. This year's Prevention Month is particularly special because it aligns with the 40th anniversary of President Nixon signing into law the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which created the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (now known as the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect [OCAN]). The theme for the annual Prevention Month initiative continues to reflect the theme for the 19th National Conference sponsored by OCAN. This year's theme, "Making Meaningful Connections," draws attention to the community and cross-system collaborations required to protect children and strengthen families.
A new Prevention Month website highlights resources for protecting children and strengthening families, videos from national prevention organizations, publications, and the 2014 Prevention Resource Guide: Making Meaningful Connections. Changes or updates to this year's Resource Guide include the following:
- The 2014 Resource Guide has been refreshed with new information, while maintaining some of its main content structure. It has a different theme and design and updated statistics.
- Chapter One, "Protective-Factors Approaches to Promoting Well-Being," contains information about protective factors that help reduce child abuse and neglect, established protective factors approaches, and ways in which some State and local agencies are implementing protective factors approaches to create lasting change in how communities support families.
- This year's guide includes 16 strength-based parent tip sheets—in English and Spanish—that providers can use in discussions or visits with parents and caregivers.
- Three activity calendars—one each for prevention programs, parents, and community partners—give suggestions for promoting well-being while using protective factors. The calendar, "30 Ways to Promote Child Well-Being," also provides activities to support children and families throughout the entire month of April.
The Resource Guide is the result of collaboration among the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Children's Bureau, OCAN, Child Welfare Information Gateway, the FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, the Center for the Study of Social Policy, and numerous national organizations.
In addition to the Resource Guide, the Prevention Month website also features a timeline commemorating CAPTA's 40th anniversary, pointing to the major milestones to protect children over the past four decades.
For more information on CAPTA, the Prevention Month initiative, or to view or order a copy of the Resource Guide, visit the Prevention Month website:
