Apr 05, 2020

KCSL: Preventing child abuse during stressful time

Posted Apr 05, 2020 7:18 PM
 COVID-19 has made life difficult for everyone—especially children and families. 
 COVID-19 has made life difficult for everyone—especially children and families. 

KCSL

WICHITA  – This April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) as the Kansas chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America reinforces the role that each person plays in ensuring that children, families and entire communities thrive by participating in the month-long nationwide awareness and impact campaign: “Everyone Can Make Great Childhoods Happen—Especially You, Especially Now!”

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed April to be the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAP Month, a tradition that continues to this day. “April is a time to help people across the country understand that safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments are necessary to ensure that children grow up happy and healthy,” said KCSL Prevent Child Abuse Kansas Director, Vicky Roper. “You don’t have to be a movie star or a professional athlete…all you need is a desire to make a difference.”

Equally important is recognizing that the time to act is now. COVID-19 has made life difficult for everyone—especially children and families. Although the risk to our children’s physical health from the outbreak itself appears to be low, the risk to our nation’s children for experiencing child abuse and neglect in times of extreme stress and uncertainty is actually quite high.

School and workplace closings can increase stress in parents’ lives, resulting from loss of income due to lack of paid leave; an unexpected or irregular need for child care and even food insecurity, when school meal programs and other valuable resources become unavailable. Additionally, an unintended consequence of social distancing is isolation, which contradicts science proving that social and emotional connectedness and support are protective of mental health and positive discipline strategies.

KCSL recommends the following ways to help raise awareness and impact positive change virtually during this year’s CAP Month:

  1. Show support for children and families by wearing blue on April 3, Wear Blue Day, posting a selfie on Facebook using the hashtag #WearBlueDay and tagging @myKCSL.
  2. Let your representatives know you support Family-Friendly Workplaces with policies, such as paid sick and family leave, that help reduce stress on parents and caregivers by participating in Prevent Child Abuse America’s nationwide Digital Advocacy Day, on Tuesday, April 28.
  3. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and share our posts widely—and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Use the hashtags #GreatChildhoods and #CAPMonth to let us know you're committed to helping children, families and entire communities to thrive.

For more ways to get involved in CAP Month, please visit kcsl.org/cap_month.aspx.

About Kansas Children’s Service League

Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) is a statewide not-for-profit agency with 127 years of experience keeping kids safe and strengthening families in Kansas. KCSL serves more than 40,000 children and their families each year through a variety of community-based and child abuse prevention programs. Our services and advocacy efforts focus on preventing child abuse, strengthening families and empowering parents and youth. KCSL’s mission is to protect and promote the well-being of children.

About Prevent Child Abuse America

Founded in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America is the nation’s oldest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. Through its nationwide chapter network and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting sites throughout the country, it promotes services that improve child well-being and develops programs that help to prevent all types of abuse and neglect. Prevent Child Abuse America is rated as one of the top charities for children by Consumer Reports and charity oversight organizations, including Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. Visit preventchildabuse.org to learn more.