National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April was proclaimed the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month in 1983. Over three decades later, families and communities continue to work together to encourage the well-being of children and share child abuse and neglect prevention strategies throughout the month of April. The blue ribbon campaign started in 1989 and are displayed nationwide to promote awareness and prevention.
Pinwheels for Prevention
Prevent Child Abuse America was founded in 1972 to ensure healthy development of children nationwide in 50 states including all territories such as Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Canada. Its successes brought the Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign in 2008. Blue pinwheels are showcased across the nation and represent a happy, uplifting childhood.
2014 Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
|Child population ||7.3 million|
|Alleged victims of child abuse/neglect ||273,091 victims|
|Confirmed victims of child abuse/neglect||106.318 victims|
|DFPS child abuse/neglect-related fatalities||151 fatalities|
The most common… in percentages (%)
|Person reporting abuse/neglect for completed investigations||18.6 school|
17.5 medical personnel
|Allegation confirmed||67.3 neglectful supervision|
|Confirmed perpetrator of abuse/neglect||78.9 parent|
40.6 ages 26 to 35
|Confirmed perpetrator of abuse/neglect||22.7 ages 1 to 3|
2014 Houston Region Data
|Child population||1.8 million|
|Alleged victims of child abuse/neglect ||48,398 victims|
|Confirmed victims of child abuse/neglect ||9,020 victims|
|DFPS child abuse/neglect-related fatalities||27 fatalities|
*Reference: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. 2015. Data Book 2014.
Tips on Prevention*
For strategies on child abuse prevention, click here. Also, visit Escape Family Resource Center at escapefrc.org for positive information on parenting.
- Keeping your family strong
- Making healthy connections with your family
- Feeding your family
- Preventing child sexual abuse
- Managing stress
- Managing your finances
- Helping your child heal from trauma
- Human trafficking: protecting our youth
- Bonding with your baby
- Dealing with temper tantrums
- Parenting your school-age child
- Connecting with your teen
- Teen parents… You are not alone
- Ten ways to be a better dad
- Raising your kin
- Support after adoption
- Military families
- How to develop strong communities
- Parenting your child with developmental delays and disabilities
*Reference: Making Meaningful Connections: 2015 Prevention Resource Guide. Child Welfare. 2015.
For more information on Child Abuse Prevention Month, contact us at 713-704-KIDS (5437).