Child Abuse Prevention Month
The Family Tree recognizes the importance of community-based support for all children and families during National Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month in April. The theme of this year’s awareness and impact campaign is “Growing a Better Tomorrow for All Children, Together.”
We can build healthier, safer, and thriving communities if we take the same approach to raising families that we do to tending a community garden on a shared piece of land too often, our society thinks of raising healthy children as a parent or caregiver’s responsibility alone. In reality, we all benefit when groups of people work together to collectively care for children, who grow up to become successful, contributing adults.
This is the second year that CAP Month has taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak and its subsequent losses have changed the world permanently, and prevention professionals are still working to understand the pandemic’s repercussions for incidents of child abuse and neglect.
The risk to our nation’s children for experiencing child abuse and neglect in times of extreme stress and uncertainty is quite high. COVID-19 has added stressors to the lives of parents and caregivers, such as loss of employment, loss of income due to lack of paid leave, school and business closings that necessitate new childcare and homeschool arrangements, and food insecurity. The social connections and community services and activities that serve as protective factors against child abuse and neglect may not exist in this extraordinary time of physical distancing.
Spread Awareness and show support by wearing Blue with us on April 1, 2021!
Post a picture in your best blue and tag us on social media
@familytreemd
Growing Better Together
Just like plants need good soil to grow, positive childhood experiences in nurturing environments provide fertile ground for physical and mental health, learning, & social skills to flourish. It is more important than ever to help positive childhood experiences take root in your community and across the country. Mobilize your community and take action—so all of us are #GrowingBetterTogether!
We harvest what we sow
We plant seeds of support for all children to yield healthier adults with abundant futures.
Children are locally grown
As the Maryland Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Maryland, we work together to cultivate relationships, connections, and environments that help every child thrive.
Our work is rooted in science
We know positive childhood experiences in nurturing environments provide fertile ground for physical and mental health, learning, and social skills to flourish.
We unearth the possibilities
We focus on innovation every day to give every child what they need and to build bountiful, safe communities.
Planning and purpose create common ground
We know positive childhood experiences in nurturing environments provide fertile ground for physical and mental health, learning, and social skills to flourish.
We tend and replenish the soil
We offer homegrown solutions and hardy support to protect what we grow in all elements.
Hope and commitment are powerful fertilizers
We combine the promise of a better tomorrow with our resolve to nourish all children and their families in every season.