Local agencies that work to prevent child abuse and neglect are asking for community participation on Tuesday by issuing a “Blue Alert.”
The Family Crisis Center, Child Advocacy Center and Kansas Children’s Service League ask everyone to wear blue on Tuesday to help raise awareness for child abuse and prevention. They will take a group photo of people in their blue attire at 5:15 p.m. at the Barton County Courthouse.
April has been designated as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. It is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Barton County Commission adopted proclamations at the end of March, marking both observances.
Braeley Hammeke, Child Advocacy Center program director at the Family Crisis Center, read the proclamations at the March 29 meeting where they were adopted. The Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month proclamation states that child abuse and neglect can be reduced by making sure families have the support needed to raise children in a healthy environment and that there are dedicated individuals and organizations in Barton County working to counter these problems.
The Family Crisis Center offers a 24/7 Crisis Line: 620-792-1885. Suspected child abuse may be reported to the Kansas Protection Reporting Center, 800-922-5330, and in an emergency or time-sensitive situation, contact local law enforcement or call 911.
Ten Things You Can Do to Prevent Child Abuse
1. Volunteer your time. Get involved with other parents in your community. Help vulnerable children and their families. Start a playgroup.
2. 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.
3. Examine your behavior. Abuse is not just physical. Both words and actions can inflict deep, lasting wounds. Be a nurturing parent. Use your actions to show children and other adults that conflicts can be settled without hitting or yelling.
4. Educate yourself and others. 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.
5. Teach children their rights. When children are taught they are special and have the right to be safe, they are less likely to think abuse is their fault, and more likely to report an offender.
6. 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.
7. Know what child abuse is. 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.
8. Know the signs. 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.
9. Report abuse. If you witness a child being harmed or see evidence of 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.
10. 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.
Source: Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families
