April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The Michigan Children’s Trust Fund’s (CTF) statewide initiative for the prevention of child abuse and neglect is The Power of One. This initiative asserts that the power of one person, one community, one dollar, one action will help to protect children from abuse and neglect throughout Michigan. The Power of One encourages every citizen to take action toward providing the support and assistance that all families need. It is a compelling strategy for the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. The Power of One is an ongoing campaign which is highlighted during April’s Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month.
The goal of primary prevention is to stop child abuse and neglect before it occurs. Primary prevention strategies create supportive environments that empower parents and help them access the tools they need to raise their children in safe, loving, and nurturing homes. Primary prevention efforts are found in places where families gather: neighborhoods, workplaces, shopping centers, libraries, faith-based organizations, schools, and clubs. The Power of One accomplishes primary prevention by raising awareness of the solutions to the problem of child abuse and by mobilizing citizens to engage in those solutions.
We recognize your current prevention efforts and celebrate your successes. During Child Abuse Prevention Month we invite you to broaden your efforts to build upon this important work on behalf of the children and families in your community. There are countless options to strengthening the mission of making child abuse prevention a reality. No one person can do everything, but everyone can do something. And together, we can do anything!
