MONTPELIER — Gov. Phil Scott soon recently announced April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Vermont. The theme of this year's awareness and impact campaign is "Building Together: Prevention in Partnership."
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont and the Vermont Department for Children and Families recognize that all community members have a role in ensuring children have positive experiences and that families have the resources they need when they need them, well before they are in crisis, and acknowledge the value of prevention programs during National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.
Staff from Prevent Child Abuse Vermont will plant a garden of 1,000 pinwheels to mark the occasion on the statehouse lawn at 8 a.m. on April 4.
"It's never been truer that communities today need to band together in collective ways that help our families and children thrive. Too often, our society thinks of raising healthy children as a parent or caregiver's responsibility alone," said Linda E. Johnson, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Vermont, in a statement. "In reality, we all benefit when families, neighbors and community groups work together to collectively care for children."
Extreme stress and uncertainty for families can increase the risk of child abuse and neglect, raising the need to support families and prevent abuse before it occurs. Child abuse and neglect are preventable, and all communities benefit when children and families are well-supported.
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont recommends local community members help raise awareness and impact through these simple actions this April and beyond.
- Wear blue on March 31, called Wear Blue Day, to show support for children and families. Post a photo or video on social media, tag PCAVT and include the #WearBlueDay2023 hashtag.
- Follow Prevent Child Abuse Vermont on social media and share its posts throughout April and beyond. Encourage friends and family to do the same.
- Plant a pinwheel garden. Pinwheels are the symbol of child abuse prevention. Contact pcavt@pcavt.org to purchase pinwheels and plant in your yard to show your support and raise awareness.
- Find a calendar of family-friendly activities and other resources at peavt.org/cap.
- Make a tax-deductible donation to PCAVT at pcave.org/donate.
- Find out about volunteering for your local Parent Child Center or youth-serving organization.
