A Culture of Care is Everyone’s Responsibility
Small actions matter, and a helping hand is everything. Harm reduction and child abuse prevention are up to every one of us as a community. During Child Abuse Prevention Month, we’re raising awareness and providing resources to build resources for safe, supportive, positive communities where everyone’s voice is heard.
The Numbers are Concerning
According to the CDC, child abuse and neglect are common in the US.
- At least one in seven children experienced abuse or neglect in the past year (likely underestimated, as many cases are unreported)
- In 2021, statistics show 1,820 died of abuse and neglect
- Children living in poverty experience more abuse and neglect due to stress, low socioeconomic status, and fewer accessible resources
It’s not always visible. Emotional abuse doesn’t leave bruises. Neglect can present as mental health issues and even overwhelm a child.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including neglect, abuse, poverty, and household dysfunction, have profound long-term impacts on a child’s well-being. Children who experience ACEs are at a higher risk for chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, and difficulties in relationships as adults.
The numbers are eye-opening and concerning. And here’s what they don’t tell you: prevention starts with building the kind of community where abuse is less likely to happen in the first place.
This kind of change goes deeper than just having awareness; it requires action. Action that unfolds in everyday moments, ordinary relationships, and the choices we make as neighbors, friends, and coworkers.
Positive Experiences Matter Just as Much
Here’s some good news. The HOPE Framework (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) flips the script and shows how the developing brain responds to positive stimuli and events on an anatomical and physiological level. The brain can grow and heal, even in the face of adversity, through key positive experiences.
The HOPE framework combines a public health approach to preventing child abuse with a broader understanding of how children grow to become strong and resilient adults.
Be a Part of the Solution: Prevention & Harm Reduction Actions
Prevention of child abuse and neglect happens in small, everyday actions. Depending on your role in a child’s life, here are some action steps you can take starting today to be a part of the solution to the problem.
Parents & Caregivers
- Ask for support when you’re overwhelmed
- Build your own support network
- Learn age-appropriate expectations for children (a two-year-old having a meltdown isn’t “bad,” they’re learning to regulate)
- Access parenting resources and guidance
Community Members
- Check in on families you know. A simple, “How are you really doing?” can open a life-saving door
- Offer concrete help: a meal, an hour of babysitting, a listening ear, a ride to an appointment
- Don’t look away when something feels off. Trust your instincts
- Support local organizations that serve families with your time, donations, or advocacy
- Be a safe, supportive relationship in a child’s life
Organizations and Workplaces:
- Adopt family-friendly policies (flexible schedules, parental leave, childcare support)
- Provide mental health resources for employees
- Partner with child welfare organizations and family resource centers
- Create cultures where people can be honest about struggling without fear of judgment
As a community, let’s commit to more than awareness around child abuse prevention and neglect. Let’s commit to being a part of building safe spaces where children are safe, families are supported, and positive experiences are part of every interaction you have with children.
The Four Building Blocks of HOPE
Key experiences all children need (and you can be a part of!):
- Safe and Supportive Relationships
Foundational relationships with adults who respond to a child’s needs. This can include healthy, close relationships with peers, connections with coaches, teachers, mentors, and other caring adults who see them and believe in the child.
- Safe, Equitable, and Stable Environments
Nurturing spaces where a child is emotionally secure, including stable school environments where children feel valued and safe communities.
- Opportunities for Social and Civic Engagement
Being involved in projects, community service, or peer mentoring. Children need to feel like they belong and matter through family and cultural traditions, music, art, sports groups, etc.
- Opportunities for Emotional Growth
Being supported through difficult emotions rather than shamed for them as they learn to identify and express feelings, develop healthy coping skills, and build resilience.
These are essentials for children, and every single one of us can contribute to building these experiences for the children in our lives and communities.
Change and healing can happen in our community. Prevention starts with all of us. With you.
Resources & Reporting
If a child discloses abuse to you:
- Believe them. Children rarely lie about abuse
- Stay calm. Your reaction matters
- Listen without asking leading questions
- Assure them it’s not their fault
- Report it!
How to Report and Support
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you have a responsibility to report it. In New Hampshire, call the DCYF Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-894-5533 (available 24/7).
You don’t need proof. You need reasonable suspicion. Trained professionals will investigate and determine next steps.
Resources:
- NH DHHS: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/report-concern/report-child-abuse
- HOPE Framework: https://positiveexperience.org
- National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
Child Advocacy Center of Cheshire County: https://cac-nh.org/cac_experience/cac-cheshire-county/
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