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While the weather may be playing tricks on us, it is not yet April in Indiana. However, for those of us in the world of primary child abuse prevention, it can be easy to look past the month of March as National Child Abuse Prevention Month looms large. It occurred to me today, as I am considering information to share in this edition of the Council Courier, we must look at each month in front of us as THE Most Important Opportunity to share the message of child abuse prevention. We never know where and when the seeds of hope may land, take root, and prevent another family from having to experience the pain of child abuse or neglect. Therefore, please plan for April with all your heart but don’t forget to seize the chances available in March to communicate something along the lines of the following:
- Use opportunities to invite people to join/participate with your local child abuse prevention council, which engages in child abuse prevention efforts year-round.
- Highlight activities engaged in by your local council at other times of the year.
- True primary child abuse prevention takes place “upstream,” through efforts such as building community protective factors and positive childhood experiences.
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Reach out to neighboring counties who may not have a chartered child abuse prevention council and invite them to the April activities of your council. Offer to mentor them in the process of becoming a chartered council. See the link here to see which Indiana counties still need a chartered child abuse prevention council.
- Please let us know if you have other great ideas, which we would love to share with your colleagues across Indiana.
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