April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Join our Center in acknowledging April as Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month. The theme of this year’s awareness and impact campaign, led by Prevent child Abuse America and its national network of state chapters, is “Building a Hopeful Future, Together.” Since April was marked as Child Abuse Awareness Month in 1983, this initiative, led by Prevent Child Abuse America, has believed in the power of prevention nad the strength of community support (n.d.). The mission of CAP Month is to “[ensure] that all children grow up in environments that are safe, stable, and nurturing,” as well as “address the structural and social determinants of health and well-being, including poverty and systemic racism, to create a more equitable society where every child thrives” (Prevent Child Abuse America, n.d.). 

This month is a time to recognize “the importance of families, communities, and organizations working together to prevent child abuse and neglect” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). This is also an excellent opportunity to spread awareness and advocate for the prevention of child maltreatment. Organizations are increasingly understanding the need to change methods for preventing child abuse and neglect. The focus has largely shifted toward partnering with families and others with lived experiences to better understand whether existing practices and policies are effective and what changes are necessary to strengthen them. Child welfare practices are also trying to shift from a surveillance approach to a more supportive approach (CWIG, n.d.). The practice shifts, research, and focus on spreading awareness and knowledge are all seeking to help prevent child maltreatment in North Carolina and nationwide. 

Wear Blue Day

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, one day each April is designated as “Wear Blue Day.” Wear Blue Day in 2024 is Friday, April 5! On this day, state and local communities will stand united in blue, making a statement that they’re committed to challenging the status quo for how we support and strengthen all families and communities. Join the movement and wear blue to show your commitment to nurturing more positive childhoods by building supportive communities and environments that strengthen all families (Positive Childhood Alliance, n.d.). Each person wearing blue and sharing photos online is not just part of a nationwide movement; they are active champions for the well-being of children. If you post your own content or report/interact with others, be on the lookout for this year’s hashtags: 

#WearBlueDay2024 #NC💙 Celebrate Wear Blue Day 2024!

Ways to Make a Difference

• Participate in #WearBlueDay2024 on April 5! Even if you don’t post your own pictures or content, you can still reshare others’ content to spread awareness before and on April 5 to join the movement and demonstrate your support for families and communities!
• Volunteering! Being a volunteer in your community is an incredible way of giving back and helping others. Volunteers can find opportunities for work in child protective service agencies, family or juvenile courts, the research projects of local universities and colleges, public and private placement agencies which handle abused or neglected children, local volunteer organizations, and police departments.
  • Opportunities to volunteer/attend events in Wake County include Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina (PCANC) and SAFEchild. 
• Donating. Making a donation during Child Abuse Prevention Month is an incredible way to offer support. Your investments helps organizations like Prevent Child Abuse NC (PCANC) to advocate for family-friendly policies, support family service agencies across North Carolina and raise awareness of the role we all play in preventing child abuse.
  • Donate to Child Abuse Prevention North Carolina 
• Contacting your Congress member on Digital Advocacy Day! You can advocate for essential investments in primary prevention of child maltreatment by contacting your Congress member. Together, we can implement community-based solutions to protect our children. Learn about Positive Childhood Alliance NC’s policy priorities. And don’t forget to use the hashtags for Digital Advocacy Day! #DigitalAdvocacyDay #PCANC #CAPMonth #BuildingHopefulFutures #NurturingPositiveChildhoods
• Use hashtags on your social media posts to spread awareness: #DitigalAdvocacyDay #PCANC #NCAPM #DigitalAdvocacyDay #BuildingHopefulFutures #NurturingPositiveChildhoods  

No step or action is too small! Even if you simply decide to read this story and tell a friend/coworker, post or repost CAP Month content on social media, or even engage in other’s content about CAP Month, you are making a difference by spreading awareness! For more information about CAP Month, you can follow us on social media where we will be posting throughout the month!

More Resources 

• Child Welfare Information Gateway
  • 2023/2024 Prevention Resource Guide 
• Prevent Child Abuse America
• Positive Childhood Alliance (formerly Prevent Child Abuse NC)