April is Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Month both nationally and here in Missouri. This year’s theme focuses on, “Making Meaningful Connections.” Many communities around the state are gearing up for events and activities scheduled throughout the month to emphasize the critical importance of preventing child abuse and neglect and keeping children safe. Go Blue Day for Missouri’s kids is scheduled for Friday, April 11. We hope you will join thousands of Missourians on that day in wearing blue to promote the safety and well being of Missouri’s kids and the importance of child abuse prevention. To learn how to support meaningful and measurable change in children’s well-being, and engage families and communities in the prevention of child maltreatment, you can:
- Visit the National Child Abuse Prevention Month website to find useful resources.
- Download the 2014 Prevention Resource Guide: Making Meaningful Connections and learn how to strengthen families using the protective factors.
- Access dozens of tip sheets—in English and Spanish—that can be distributed to parents and caregivers. There are two new tip sheets this year titled “Preventing Child Sexual Abuse” and “Making Healthy Connections With Your Family.”
- Bookmark three activity calendars—one each for prevention programs, parents, and community partners—and discover ways to integrate activities related to the protective factors into Child Abuse Prevention Month activities.
- View the prevention video gallery, which features videos from national child abuse prevention partners. Share these videos via email and social media to raise awareness among your networks.
- Download and post Child Abuse Prevention Month widgets to your website to help promote the initiative.
- Spread the word with the online media toolkit, which provides traditional and new media strategies to help your organization or community partnerships raise awareness about events, reach potential supporters, and build relationships.
- Participate in Go Blue Day, Friday, April 11 by wearing something blue (the official color of prevention) to support Missouri’s kids.
- Attend the 5th annual Pinwheels for Prevention Community Pinwheel Garden at the State Capitol on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at 12pm hosted by Missouri KidsFirst.
- Attend or volunteer for child abuse prevention month events in your community. Check here on CTF’s community events calendar for an event near you.
- Follow Missouri CTF on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with April’s prevention activities and news.
- Order CTF’s parent education and prevention materials including our new Strengthening Families Protective Factors Poster to use in April and throughout the year.
