National Child Abuse Prevention Month
During April, we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM) and the importance of communities working together to support and strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment.
Knowledge and understanding of protective factors and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), as well as the social-ecological model, can guide decision-makers, and help shape policies, to reduce the risk of maltreatment and prevent the recurrence of abuse or neglect by drawing on family strengths and acknowledging the impact of traumatic events.
Protective factors are conditions or attributes that, when present in families and communities, increase the well-being of children and families, and reduce the likelihood of maltreatment. Such as the six below:
- Nurturing and attachment
- Knowledge of parenting and child and youth development
- Parental resilience
- Social connections
- Concrete supports for parents
- Social and emotional competence of children
Adverse childhood experiences. ACEs are potentially traumatic events that occur before a child reaches the age of 18 and can include the following:
- All types of abuse and neglect
- Parental substance use or mental illness
- Parental incarceration
- Domestic violence
- Divorce
