April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

KVC is committed to preventing child abuse and neglect all year and prevention begins with strengthening families. This month is a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

By ensuring that parents and caregivers have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children we can prevent child abuse and neglect. Research shows protective factors are present in healthy families and contribute to positive outcomes. Promoting protective factors and enhancing parenting skills are two of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.

Protective factors include:

• Nurturing and attachment
• Knowledge of parenting skills and of child and youth development
• Parental resilience
• Social connections
• Concrete supports for parents
• Social and emotional competence of children

Building meaningful connections and support systems with children, youth and families in our communities is a vital part of preventing child abuse. If you’d like to help a child or teen in need, become a foster parent! Start your foster parenting journey today!