The therapists at Favored Wellness Counseling and Consulting, LLC are dedicated to expanding the knowledge of mental health concerns and its role in society. Throughout the year, we will bring you information about current updates in the field, mental health awareness months, and ways that we can support you.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
When we think about child abuse, our minds are likely to turn to the worst possible outcome for the affected children; the end result becomes our focus. With Child Abuse Prevention Month, there is clear emphasis that there are steps everyone can take in order to protect one of our most vulnerable populations. Rather than only being aware of the end result, we can learn about the protective factors for children and how anyone, whether you work specifically with children or are part of the community, can learn to recognize red flags.
Protecting children takes place not just in the family systems that are experiencing abuse, but also in the general population and families that have risk factors, such as little to no support systems for parents and caregivers, living in or near poverty, high levels of stress, and a history of abuse. Through public knowledge of child abuse in all areas and an awareness of the community’s resources, we can help to ensure that families and children have the primary protective factors: ensuring healthy attachment, clear knowledge of parenting/caregiving and child development, parental/caregiver resilience, healthy and secure social connections, and available support for parents and caregivers.
You can learn more about preventing child abuse and ways to aid others through community resources right here in Allegheny County. A Child’s Place, PA is a non-profit organization located in Pittsburgh, which provides parenting education, supportive resources for parents and caregivers, and training and education. To learn more and become involved, please visit https://www.achildsplacepa.org.
Learn More.
For more information, please use the following resources:
2023-2024 Prevention Resource Guide. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/guide_2023.pdf
Children, Youth, and Families in Allegheny County
Prevent Child Abuse America. https://preventchildabuse.org
If you suspect child abuse, please reach out to ChildLine, part of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services.
Call 1-800-932-0313
Report electronically at https://www.dhs.pa.gov/KeepKidsSafe/Resources/Pages/ChildLine.aspx