Contact: Ariana Vruwink
(608) 267-8823
Dane County is recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In Dane County, child abuse and neglect prevention efforts are spearheaded by the Child Abuse & Neglect Coordinated Community Response (CAN CCR), a cross-discipline collaboration of community partners including Dane County Human Services, child serving agencies, law enforcement, representatives from the medical community, the UW School of Social Work, public education, and many more. Every day throughout the month of April, CAN CCR will post information about child development, safety, and welfare to its Survive and Thrive Facebook page.
“Dane County’s children deserve a bright future, and there is no greater task than protecting and nurturing them,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “Connecting families with resources and working together to create strong communities of support are keys to helping children thrive.”
The mission of CAN CCR is to develop a full continuum of best-practice strategies and services from crisis, prevention, early intervention and treatment response to remedy and reduce the occurrence of abuse and neglect of children. By providing parents with easily accessible information and resources, CAN CCR strives to prevent child abuse and neglect while supporting the development of strong and thriving children, youth, and families in our communities.
“April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children and strengthening families,” said Sharyl Kato, Chair of CAN CCR. “Everyone’s participation is critical. Focusing on ways to connect with families is the best thing our community can do to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.”
During Child Abuse Prevention Month, Dane County encourages its residents and organizations to take simple actions to make a big impact in the life of a child:
- Volunteer at or donate to organizations that support children and families
- Build parent resilience by sharing the Survive and Thrive Facebook page and its content
- Build social connections by reaching out to a parent who seems isolated or stressed
- Give a parent a break and build social competencies by mentoring a child
For more information about child abuse prevention programs and activities during the month of April and throughout the year, contact CAN CCR atcnbausch@gmail.com.
