I applaud your interest in preventing child abuse. Strengthening families and preventing child abuse requires a shared commitment of both individuals and organizations in every community. As you are no doubt aware, the impact of child maltreatment can be profound. Research shows that child maltreatment is associated with adverse health and mental health outcomes in children and families, and those negative effects can last a lifetime. In addition to the impact on the child, child abuse and neglect affect various systems - including physical and mental heath, law enforcement, judicial and public social services, and nonprofit agencies as they respond to the incident and support the victims.

Posted on March 31, 2009

On behalf of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, we appreciate your efforts to increase awareness of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and also the efforts of your organization to inform and educate others about child abuse. Our agency is committed to safe and healthy children; we know that children who live in fear of abuse cannot become strong academic learners. We are proud of our schools and the leadership efforts of administrators, educators, counselors and all staff to stay current with the symptoms and indicators of child abuse and the reporting required of all school personnel. We work well with our partners at the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health, as well as many statewide stakeholders of non-profit organizations and law enforcement to provide constant education and information about child abuse. Although ND is a small state in population, we work diligently to provide information, access and services to all using collaborative professional development opportunities wherever we can. We believe constant multiple messaging to all partners will make great strides to change the culture of acceptable behaviors for everyone.

Posted on April 1, 2009

Youth-serving prevention programs offer positive alternatives for young people and encourage youth to develop strong ties to their community ... All citizens should become more aware of child abuse and its prevention, and become involved in supporting parents to raise their children in a safe, nurturing environment ... [I] urge all citizens to recognize this month by dedicating ourselves to the task of improving the quality of life for all children.

Posted on April 3, 2009

In an attempt to bring awareness of child abuse, communities throughout the State of Nevada will be participating in a variety of events. More than 12,700 reports of child abuse were investigated in Nevada in 2008. To highlight the awareness campaign, 12,783 pinwheels for prevention will be placed in front of courthouses, playgrounds, government offices, libraries, and parks throughout the state. In our Capitol of Carson City, a coalition of partners consisting of, but not limited to, Advocates to End Domestic Violence, Division of Child and Family Services, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) will plant 459 pinwheels on the lawn of our State Legislature. Further, on April 15, 2009, an informational booth will be set up at our State Legislature and one pinwheel placed at each Legislator's seat in both the Assembly and Senate. Children from one local elementary school helped make the pinwheels in a pilot project. Lastly, Governor Gibbons will present a proclamation recognizing "April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month".

Posted on April 3, 2009

Child abuse is a concern to all schools. Once a student reports abuse in the household, we are required by law to [contact] Child Protective Services who then investigates the case.

Posted on April 4, 2009

Thanks for your interest and taking a leadership role in this critical issue. I have never been able to understand how or why one could abuse a child. I am afraid we have a cycle that is very difficult to break. Most abusers were abused. While there is certainly no easy answer, I think awareness and education are the key. We need to find a way to insure incidents of abuse are reported and appropriate action is taken and educate ... those in our schools of the long term detrimental impact of abuse, while recognizing that many of those we are educating are being abused.

Posted on April 5, 2009

I appreciate your concern for the welfare of young people. I think, to start, we need to define our terms: not everyone has the same definition of what child abuse actually is.

My experience with child abuse is that it seems to occur because:
a. parents need parenting skills / counseling to learn to manage their anger and to learn to discipline their children appropriately with establishing boundaries
b. parents from other countries do not see physical and/or severe punishment as being wrong because they were disciplined in this way- it's a cycle

The difficulty comes with inconsistency amongst social workers when we call them for assistance. Social workers are so overloaded they are not always able to come immediately when we need them. When a child comes forward, you have to act on it right away. Kids are typically afraid to report abuse because ... of the unknowns: they are afraid of being removed from the home and they are afraid of their parents getting into trouble, especially if there are other siblings in the home. If the social worker is "intrusive" with questions, kids will shut down.

In addition to inconsistency with social workers, we also have limited resources in terms of shelters and temporary safe houses for students and their siblings if removal is necessary.

Posted on April 6, 2009

Nelson Mandela, former South African President and advocate for worldwide peace, once said, 'There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.' Mandela knew what all of you also know: that our children are our future. They are our greatest source of hope and inspiration. As a mother, educator and lifelong advocate for families, I am committed to ensuring children across our state have all the support they need to achieve their dreams and goals. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are given a healthy, happy start to life-that they are able to live a life free from fear or suffering. Since 1983, April has been designated Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month gives us the opportunity to raise awareness about the tragedies of child abuse and neglect. In doing so, we have the chance to brighten the future for generations to come. Many people in Kentucky are unaware of the frequency with which child abuse occurs in their own communities. Through the efforts of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky and local community partners, we can not only expand the reach of prevention programs statewide, but make sure our citizens are educated about the warning signs of child abuse and neglect. Together, we can turn every Kentuckian into an advocate for this important cause. It is time to stop child abuse in its tracks once and for all.

Posted on April 6, 2009

Governor Pawlenty's office submitted an attachment containing his proclamation of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The document can be viewed here.

Posted on April 7, 2009

Thank you for your interest and service in trying to deter Child Abuse. Salt Lake City has zero tolerance for the abuse and/or neglect of children. We are pleased to report that the Salt Lake City Police Department works in collaboration with the Utah State Department of Health and Human Services which provides the direct services to children and families who are victims of abuse ... In addition, a partnership with the Salt Lake City School District's Family and Student Support Services, provides professional development training for teachers, and resource and referral counseling services to families in need. Also, the Community and Faith-based Non-Profit agencies, including the YWCA, and the Christmas Box House offer protection/shelter services to children who are victims of abuse along with prevention and intervention programs. Salt Lake City believes that all its children have the right to be well educated, safe and healthy as they are the foundation of the future.

Posted on April 8, 2009

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) often partners with other state and/or non-profit agencies relative to issues that impact the youth of Kansas. Child abuse is a serious and persistent problem across the nation and Kansas is no exception. Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services received 54,395 (SRS, 2008) intake requests for abuse this past year. One of the core values and goals of the Kansas Board of Education KSDE is to "provide an effective educator in every classroom" that will "promote loving, safe, supportive and nurturing environments" (State BOE Goals, 2008-09). As such, KSDE supports the mission of advocacy groups such as the Kansas Children's Service League (https://www.kcsl.org/) and Prevent Child Abuse America (http://www.childwelfare.com/kansas.htm) to "prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children" and which includes all forms of abuse and neglect, whether physical, sexual, educational, or emotional. We also have a major grant initiative that is focused just on character education.

Providing for the social-behavioral-emotional growth of each individual student is a necessary requirement if they are to learn successfully and become productive citizens. In recognizing our mission, KSDE will inform the public that the prevention of abuse and neglect decreases lifelong adverse medical and emotional consequences for children and promotes their well-being. It also reduces the costs of human services, delinquency and criminal justice services and the loss of work productivity.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and encourage individuals and communities to support children and families. Kansas educators are "mandated reporters" and schools are encouraged to contact SRS and/or the Kansas Children's Service League to offer training for school staff for the recognition and reporting of child abuse ... Every call is taken seriously and every effort is made to protect identities.

Please know that we are committed to ensuring the safety and well being of every infant, toddler, child and youth in Kansas.

Posted on April 8, 2009

In North Carolina, our schools have many ways in creating safety awareness which impacts the community as a whole. The state is divided into 115 Local Education Agencies (LEA's) that have various personnel positions within each school system such as counselors, social workers, school psychologists, school nurses, and student services directors that have contact with the children during the school day. In many cases, the school social worker and other staff members would offer community resources and awareness training about services providing assistance to families outside of the normal school day.

Staff training is ongoing in identifying and reporting child abuse on the school level based on the LEA's needs and requirements. Student services staff are trained in identifying the signs of abuse and are given specific instructions as to handling the occurrence, documentation, and procedures in reporting to the proper agencies. School administrators are aware of the particulars as well. Each county is unique in their economic, diversity, and population make-up. In essence, each individual county would have varying prevention programs and services depending on the community dynamics. There is a reporting process that the schools initiate after interviewing and assessing the child's situation. The child's disclosure is treated confidentially. After this, the county Department of Social Services or Child Protective Services becomes involved who in turn gathers specific details making the judgment to involve the local police or sheriff's department or make other arrangements for the child. The response time is in a timely matter and varies slightly due to the urgency of the particular events.

Once the case is documented on the school level and the other agencies are involved, the child is helped usually by the school counselor in adjusting and coping with the outcome of the circumstances and making the transition back to school. The school provides a support network and safe haven for the child in this entire process as our schools take child abuse and prevention very seriously. In addition, the local fire stations and police departments are also identified as a safe place. The schools work in conjunction with other local agencies in this process. Our state takes a proactive stance in dealing with this subject. Schools have informative programs that address safety issues such as appropriate touching, safety tips when being at home alone, stranger awareness, character education, internet safety, and bullying prevention. Topics such as these are also discussed with parents and community members depending on the LEA's outreach process.

Posted on April 8, 2009

Vanderbilt University is a research institution that is the home of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, one of the best children's hospitals in the U.S., as well as the Peabody College of Education, the number two ranked U.S. News and World Reports' graduate school of education. Our focus in combating child abuse is one of education and awareness. While providing treatment and ensuring protection is the critical need addressed in the hospital, we also strive to provide education to parents and caretakers who may be at risk of committing child abuse. Through centers like the Susan Gray School and the Kennedy Center for Human Development, Vanderbilt offers programs to assist and support at-risk children and educate their parents and caretakers, as well as promote awareness among our students pursuing degrees to become the next generation of teachers. The issues surrounding child abuse are complex and deep-seated. Thorough outreach and education, Vanderbilt strives to address this critical problem facing humankind.

Posted on April 8, 2009

Schools have a huge role to play in addressing child abuse. While much of the work of prevention comes from our social service agencies, school staff spend so much time with our children that they are in a unique position to identify and address abuse and neglect when it occurs, raise the flags that need to be raised in order to stop it, and begin to give students the mental health and other supports they need in order to overcome the blocks that their circumstances are building. Unlike school systems governed by a school board, DC's system is accountable to the mayor. While this is still a relatively new governance structure in DC, I believe it will allow us to better address issues of child abuse in future years. It enables the critical collaboration between schools and other city agencies that provide wrap-around services students need. It will allow us to better meet our responsibilities as adults to serve, heal, educate and empower children who are neglected and abused.

Posted on April 8, 2009

As a school administrator, I feel the role of the school is to educate students and staff about abuse and serve as a "safe haven" and a means for reporting abuse. I do not feel it is the school's place to intrude into the home as far as prevention is concerned. By educating current students and staff, we work to break the cycle of abuse and prevent it from occurring in the future.

Posted on April 8, 2009

Chronic child maltreatment can result in devastating, life-long effects on our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. As State Superintendent of Public Instruction I serve on the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, which has primary responsibility to lead Wisconsin's implementation of the State Plan to Prevent Child Maltreatment. The State Plan calls upon health care, social services, law enforcement, schools, child care providers, and others to ensure that children and families prosper through the implementation of specific, evidence-based strategies and programs ... Wisconsin law requires public schools to provide classroom instruction in elementary school to help children learn how to keep themselves safe and seek help when they are in abusive or neglectful situations.

Posted on April 9, 2009

Governor Crist wants to know how people feel about the many critical issues we face ... More than 1 million children are victims of child abuse and neglect each year, according to state child protective service agencies. Many victims don't receive help because they are not reported to the system. These abused and neglected children span all ages, races, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. Child maltreatment includes actions that result in imminent risk of serious harm, death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child under age 18 by a parent or caretaker. Governor Crist believes that prevention is the key to ensuring that all of Florida's children are raised in safe, nurturing homes supported by healthy communities. The Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Council was established to research and guide the planning for the promotion of adoption and the prevention of abuse, abandonment and neglect.

Posted on April 9, 2009

On Wednesday, April 8, 2009, Governor Jay Nixon proclaimed April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month as a means of drawing attention to the importance of protecting Missouri children. The declaration urges Missourians to support and actively participate in the care and protection of all children. As Governor Nixon commented during the proclamation ceremony, "As a society and as individuals, we cannot turn a blind eye to any child being abused; whether we have children or not, it falls upon all of us to prevent child abuse. I commend the many organizations that not only have joined together today to put a spotlight on child abuse, but which are working everyday to strengthen families and greatly reduce the causes of abuse." In his proclamation, the Governor said that Missouri communities are stronger when all citizens become aware of child abuse and neglect prevention and become involved in supporting parents to raise their children in a safe nurturing environment. He also said effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of community partnerships among social service agencies, schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies, faith-based organizations and other child-serving agencies.

Posted on April 10, 2009

Child abuse and neglect is never acceptable, and it is an important area of service within the South Dakota Department of Social Services ... In spite of continual efforts by many, child abuse and neglect continues in our country. Certainly awareness is crucial; we applaud your work to help young people and also to help the public understand it is everyone's responsibility to make sure our children are safe and well cared for. Family support and community education, mentoring for parents and youth, strong child protection programs, collaboration with community professionals, prevention programs, and parenting education are all important elements in preventing child abuse and neglect.

Posted on April 14, 2009

Child maltreatment is a devastating social problem affecting millions of children and families each year in the Unites States. During 2003, in Georgia alone, more than 90,000 reports were made to Child Protective Services (CPS) and of those reports, approximately 28,000 were confirmed as child abuse or neglect. The effects of child abuse upon the social, cognitive and emotional development of children can be far-reaching and, in many cases, irreparable. The rates of child abuse and neglect continue to increase in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) realizes the troubling nature of child abuse and the important role that they play in prevention. The GaDOE is constant in its vigil to prevent any type of child abuse ... The GaDOE feels nothing is more precious to this state than our children and that child abuse is not inevitable; it is preventable.

Posted on April 15, 2009

Children are the embodiment of innocence and hope for the future, and every child deserves to grow up in a nurturing environment, free from harm and fear. Sadly, however, child abuse is a reality, a problem we must relentlessly combat through awareness and action. Every responsible person will agree that even one abused child is too many. Yet our state's child protection caseloads are evident of the shameful fact that child abuse is a widespread issue in Texas. All responsible Texans must do what they can to resolve this pervasive issue. There are ways we can make a difference. Children's advocacy groups and social workers across the state work to create safe, happy and healthy environments for Texas' children, and, through education and awareness, to discourage child abuse. When abuse or neglect does occur, individual citizens have a duty to report it to the appropriate authorities. Once again, the month of April has been designated for an educational campaign. At this time, I encourage all Texans to join me in renewing our commitment to preventing child abuse and learning what we each can do to promote the safety and well-being of children. Their success is Texas' success.

Posted on April 15, 2009

In Washington State, the Department of Social and Health Services/Children's Administration (CA), serves as the publicly funded agency who has the state-wide charge for child abuse and neglect investigation and intervention. School staff are mandatory reporters of suspected abuse and neglect and as such, training is provided to each school district via direct interaction and training between local CA offices and local schools or via DVD and training manuals produced by the CA Headquarters.

As the state education agency in Washington State, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) profoundly recognizes that the social and emotional wellbeing of students directly influences their academic achievement. One of our esteemed teachers in the Washington, Dr. Kenneth Fox, has coined a phrase, "It's hard to play chess in a hurricane." We recognize that a child that is either abused and/or neglected is living in that hurricane.

Here at OSPI, we have a section called Learning and Teaching Support. The mission of that section is to provide services through federal and state programming to address non-academic barriers to learning, e.g. domestic violence, mental illness, drug/alcohol abuse, poor health, homelessness, etc. In early 2008, OPSI began a Compassionate Schools Initiative within the Learning and Teaching Support section. The idea of that Initiative is to provide training and practical tools for teachers in dealing with children who are experiencing trauma in their lives, particularly where that trauma is interfering with their learning. Part of that training deals with recognizing signs of family trauma (including abuse and neglect), seeing the behavior of students as a kind of language they use to express themselves and as indicators of what is going on in their lives, using strength based approaches in working with students, paying keen attention to students who reside in foster care for their educational stablity, understanding diverse cultures, developing creative strategies for addressing the academic and non academic needs of children, helping school staff to deal with vicarious trauma for working with students who have been traumatized,and strong partnerships with families and communities to support students and families who are struggling.

In other words, we believe in a holistic approach to educating children. As such, abuse and neglect issues are a part of that approach in developing a keen awareness, access to intervention resources, partnering with Children's Administration local and state offices, and providing training to school staff as a means to help support the student in a school environment that to some, is their safe haven away from family chaos.

Posted on April 15, 2009

Students must feel safe and secure in order to achieve success. A student who feels unsafe at school is not open to learning. Many students arrive at school hungry, worried, depressed, or suffering from other nonacademic barriers that undermine the process of learning.

The prevention, identification, intervention, and treatment of child abuse requires dedicated efforts from many disciplines. Education is one such discipline, since schools play an important role in recognizing early warning signs of child abuse and in child abuse prevention. Teachers are often the first to observe subtle or dramatic changes in students' behavior and appearance. Unexplained injuries, listlessness, poor nutrition, disruptive behavior, absenteeism and depression can be indicators that a child is being abused or neglected. Students often confide in teachers, and this trusting relationship between a trained adult and a student can serve to assist with child abuse prevention and intervention.

Each school site in California must adopt a comprehensive school safety plan that includes child abuse reporting procedures. School sites train their staff to implement the provisions of their school safety plan. This training may include instruction on the warning signs of neglect and abuse and the reporting requirements for designated school personnel who are mandated to report suspected child abuse cases.

Additionally, educators can better protect students and staff from harm by keeping current on school safety legislation, court decisions and statewide school safety programs that prevent injuries and crimes against children. Many schools create local resource guides that provide information on counseling agencies, books, web sites, and pamphlets to assist school staff and families in addressing this issue.

Classes in parenting education and anger management may be offered through the public school system or private agencies to help parents deal more effectively with their children. School-based family services provide a convenient means for parents to access family counseling.

Students, parents, and community members all play an important role in creating a positive, safe learning environment. It is my hope that in working together, communities can aggressively address the issue of child abuse and neglect.

Posted on April 23, 2009

The people of Iowa place a high value on our children and recognize that they are our future. During periods of economic challenges, families are more vulnerable and risk factors associated with child abuse increase. Protecting children is everyone's business and we collectively as a community are committed to ensuring children grow up in a safe and healthy environment ... Together we will continue to fight the battle of child abuse and the victimization of this vulnerable population ... [I] encourage all citizens, community agencies, religious organizations, medical facilities and businesses to partner in efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect, thereby strengthening the communities in which we live.

Postmarked on April 24, 2009 (Signed on the 22nd day of April)

As a part of Georgia's Child Abuse policy (2103.3), our local DFCS offices are required to make the public aware of what child abuse is and what steps to take if they suspect a child (ren) being abused, neglected or exploited. Not only that, DFCS also creates materials such as pamphlets to distribute to the community as well. In addition, our agency is charged with ensuring that Child Protective Services (CPS) reports are screened carefully through all DFCS protocols and procedures. Both state and federal policies mandates our involvement in the safety and well-being of children in the state of Georgia. Thank you for showing interest in seeking to deter child abuse and starting awareness of about the problems of child abuse in the United States.

Postmarked on May 4, 2009 (Signed on the 4th day of May)

The Governor has made children a top priority in his administration by providing additional funding for education, social service programs and access to healthcare. Back in 2006, our Governor created a task force to fight hunger and the methamphetamine epidemic, which contribute to abuse ... Effects are felt by everyone in the community and solutions to prevent abuse require commitment by all Oregonians.

The Governor's Advocacy and Children's Ombudsman Office also submitted an attachment containing quotes from the Governor's past speeches. The document can be viewed here.

Posted on May 5, 2009

Child abuse is a rapidly growing phenomenon in this country that reflects upon the breakdown of the family unit. Abuse often occurs when one or more of the parents have their own issues such as mental health or substance abuse and that leads to an increase in child abuse throughout the country. We need to work diligently to prevent child abuse in any form and that to focus more attention on preserving the family structure. In that vein, we can certainly provide resources in the form of mental health counseling and substance abuse counseling to those parents who are abusing children. There is a strong tie between substance abuse, mental health issues, domestic violence and child abuse that needs to be addressed. Child abuse in any form is a national phenomenon and certainly a black mark against our society. I would encourage your efforts to spread the awareness about the problem in your communities and state and certainly hope that you are successful in reducing the vast number of child abuse cases.

Posted on May 18, 2009