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Child Abuse Prevention

Image of a family sitting on the floor

Child Abuse Prevention

Children stay safer when adults know how to spot warning signs and talk openly about safety.

This page explains simple ways families can build strong relationships, teach body‑safety rules, and understand when an injury may be a sign of abuse. It also includes easy‑to‑use tools, videos, and guides that help parents, caregivers, and professionals protect children and support their well‑being.

Support is available for people overwhelmed by the demands of parenting. 

If you or someone you know feels overwhelmed, call Parenting Awareness Michigan (PAM) at 1-800-968-4968 for information about family support resources in your community.

 

Not A Bad Parent Problem | Prevent Child Abuse America TV PSA

Not A Bad Parent Problem | Prevent Child Abuse America TV PSA

Visit Prevent Child Abuse America

Preventing abuse through education

  • a clipboard that lists out the 5 protective factors used to prevent child abuse

    Protective Factors

    We can help to build strong families and reduce the risk of child abuse by supporting strong protective factors. Protective Factors can be found both in individuals and communities and are important to improve the health and well-being of kids and families in Michigan. This graphic provides a short description for each protective factor. 

    Families that know how to access resources and have an understanding of the importance of protective factors will be more resilient. Professionals partnering with families and caregivers can utilize the information found in this Protective Factors Conversations Guide to help start the conversation. 

    For more information on the way you can help to prevent child abuse, check out the 2025 Children Trust Michigan Prevention Toolkit. 

     

    Get more information from Children Trust Michigan
  • TEN-4-FACESp image with information on identifying child abuse in kids under 4

    TEN-4-FACESp

    Seasoned professionals may experience difficulty identifying physical abuse in children under the age of 4. Recognizing these injuries can be very difficult. The TEN-4-FACESp video will provide a tool to assist in responding to and preventing injuries of physical child abuse. 

    View the TEN-4-FACESp video.

    On October 4, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed TEN-4 DAY in Michigan to raise awareness about physical child abuse in children under age four. The day highlights the TEN-4-FACESp screening tool, which helps identify bruising patterns that may signal abuse. It’s a call to protect our youngest and most vulnerable by recognizing early warning signs and taking action.

    View the official 2025 TEN-4 proclamation

    View the TEN-4-FACESp Diagram

The Importance of Body Safety and Boundary Setting

Kids need to understand the importance of Body Safety and Boundaries. Teaching them their rights, and empowering them to speak for themselves, will help reduce their risk of being impacted by abuse. Below are resources that can be used to have difficult conversations and help kids navigate these topics. 

Our Partners in Prevention

  • Children Trust Michigan

    The Michigan Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, Children Trust Michigan is an advocacy organization with a focus on preventing child abuse at the state level. In addition to an online resource library, Children Trust Michigan offers a network of family resource centers across the state. 

    View a full list of their partner offices here: Prevention_Partner_Contact_List_for_Website.pdf (cdn-website.com)

  • Prevent Child Abuse America

    The Children's Bureau is an office of the Federal Administration for Children and Families and provides resources on many things including child abuse. Their Child Welfare Information Gateway provides resources for families, caregivers, and advocates.

  • The Children's Bureau

    Prevent Child Abuse America is an organization committed to preventing child abuse and neglect before it happens and provides resource materials that can be used for prevention campaigns, conversation starters, and more. In addition to their online educational materials, they serve as a national network for state-level advocacy centers.