Preventing Child Neglect & Abuse

Parenting can be a challenging and overwhelming task sometimes. ​While raising one's voice once in a while at a kid who wouldn't listen is not advisable, but understandable, sadly often some adults cross the line into abuse or neglect. According to the National Children's Alliance, in 2022 (most recent available data) 558,899 (or 8 children out of each 1000) children in the US were victims of abuse & neglect. Annually, Child Welfare Services look into lives of 7.5 million children to see if they are safe, with 3 million of them receiving an investigation. A complex combination of risk and protective factors affects child's odds of being neglected or abused. In the meantime, parents can consider using the following list to increase their ability to parent without extra stress and increase number of some protective factors, while decreasing presence of the risk factors

• Focus on bonding and cooperation.

• Enroll your child in after-school programs. ​

• Avoid creating an atmosphere where secrets are kept between the family members from other members. ​

• Do not use harsh punishments, such as hitting, denying food and clothes, grounding for extended periods of time without explanations. ​

• Be a good communicator and flexible rule maker.​

• Recognize your own trauma and abuse history. Get help. You will be improving your life and lives of your children.  

• Be a nurturer: child have same emotional needs as adults are. They want to feel loved, supported and respected. ​

• Teach your children about their rights to privacy, their rights to their bodies and appropriate and inappropriate touching. Do not force them to express affection if they do not want to. ​

• Take care of yourself: when adults are anxious, stressed, and tired they are more likely to have less patience with the challenging behaviors children exhibit.​

• Ask for help: seek resources and people that will be able to help and support you during the challenging times.​

• Offer help: when you help other parents, they would be more likely to return the favor when you are in need. ​

• Consult professionals: guidance counselors, parent coordinators, pediatricians, and various mental health professionals can offer helpful suggestions.

  IF YOUR CHILD TELLS YOU THAT ANOTHER ADULT IS HURTING THEM: BELIEVE THEM!

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