Letter to the Editor

April is the National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. Child abuse is failure to provide for a childs basic needs, physical injury as a result of hitting, kicking, burning, shaking or otherwise harming a child; using a child for sexual gratification; or impairing a childs emotional development or sense of self-worth, including constant criticism, threats or rejection. Please wear a blue ribbon this month to support Child Abuse Prevention.

The Department of Family and Protective Services publishes child abuse statistics every year. There were 360 confirmed child abuse cases for 2006 in Bowie County. As a community, we can bring these statistics down by noticing the condition of children and doing small things to help parents. For example, we can help families who are financially stressed by giving donations to organizations that work directly with families. We can participate in neighborhood watch programs to make our communities safer. We can support centers where children are cared for after school and centers that provide safe and healthy entertainment for children. We can be more tolerant of each other. We can be good role models. These are simple things to do.

By doing these small things, we are participating in strengthening families through building on the five protective factors for promoting healthy families: nurturing and attachment, knowledge of parenting and child and youth development, parental resilience, social connections and concrete support for parents.

Universal Child Abuse Prevention is a program funded by DFPS as part of the STAR program to bring parenting education to the general public. As UCAP coordinator, my outreach included reaching 210,684 people through distribution of printed materials, workshops, public service announcements and networking during the 2006 fiscal year in Bowie County. Please support parenting education wherever it is available in your area.

Cathy Robinson

Universal Child Abuse Prevention

Longview, Texas