Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose

Every April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM) is an opportunity to increase awareness of the strategies and resources available to support parents and caregivers to keep children safe, well, and thriving. 

The theme for this year’s campaign is "Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose." It highlights the importance of not only increasing awareness, but also taking action to prevent child maltreatment throughout the year. At the Administration for Children and Families, we have a collective responsibility to take action to support parents experiencing caregiving challenges and help them access resources to manage their stress. Child abuse and neglect is closely linked to systemic and societal inequities experienced by families of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty. We must commit to meaningful change that dismantles  the policies, practices, and attitudes that perpetuate inequality and strive to create a child welfare system—and society—that serves children and families without bias, prevents maltreatment, and improves outcomes for children and families of all races, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds.

In 2019, approximately 2 million children received child abuse prevention services, according to the Children's Bureau's annual Child Maltreatment Report. Prevention services, funded through federal, state, and local programs, are designed to increase the strength and stability of families, increase parents’ confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, and afford children a stable   and supportive environment. As we work to dismantle systemic inequities, it is important to create prevention supports and services that enable all children and families to experience positive outcomes, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, or background. Many communities around the country are working to increase equity and inclusion through innovative programs funded by the Children's Bureau's Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grants. For example, South Carolina's CBCAP lead agency, Children's Trust, developed the South Carolina Racial Equity Impact  (PDF) Assessment Guide  (PDF)to advise legislators, decision-makers, analysts, and other stakeholders about implementing policies that increase equity by considering and addressing disparate impacts between racial and ethnic groups.

Children's Bureau's 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide  (PDF) (the Guide)  includes information about increasing equity in family support services (see chapter two). The Guide also highlights the importance of promoting protective factors , including nurturing and attachment, knowledge of parenting, parental resilience, and concrete supports to prevent child maltreatment. It also includes conversation prompts and guidance that can help service providers have hold personalized conversations with parents and caregivers related to their family’s unique circumstances and goals.

More resources on child abuse prevention are available on the NCAPM website . We encourage you to share this important information with colleagues, families, and others who are interested in developing equitable prevention services for children and families. Join the conversation this month as we practice prevention with purpose by using the hashtag #NCAPM2022 on social media. 

As always, thank you for   your commitment to improving outcomes for all children, youth, and families. We look forward to your continued partnership as we work on these important goals together.