National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day is April 25. Most everyone in the field knows that to properly address such a critical and life-changing issue means we must work 365 days a year (366 in leap-years).
A home is where a child ought to feel safe. But for the nearly 38,000 children in Michigan experiencing abuse in 2017, that is not always the case.
Sadly abuse is hardest on the youngest and 40% of those victims reported were under the age of 4. In approximately 82 percent of all cases, the perpetrator is the parent (biological, adoptive, putative or step-parent). Source: MI Department of Health and Human Services’ “Children’s Protective Services 2016 Trends Report Summary.
Child abuse does not happen in a vacuum. There are many factors at play, including familial, social, economic and historical. But there are ways to support families in order to reduce the risks of abuse and many of the most successful strategies are preventive and take place in the home.
If you know of a young lady between the ages of 13-24 who is pregnant or has given birth within the past 3 months, please refer her for enrollment by calling (248) 443-0300 ext. 234 or 232.
