Each April, people across the country join forces to raise awareness of the terrible tragedy of child abuse and neglect for National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The most recent statistics reveal that approximately 74,000 children in Washington are reported abused or neglected each year. Through public awareness, community education, and involvement in support programs, these devastating numbers can be reduced.

Children's Home Society of Washington and many community groups offer you an opportunity to join this movement. You can be among the many communities working to promote strong families and prevent child abuse.

You can get involved in National Child Abuse Prevention Month in the following ways:

• Wear a blue ribbon as a reminder of the seriousness of child abuse and the need for its prevention.



• Attend local events by contacting Children's Home Society of Washington, Washington Council for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, or Department of Social and Health Services for statewide Child Abuse Prevention Month activities.



• Implement activities in your own community to draw attention to this month. Educate yourself and others about child abuse and its prevention by visiting www.childwelfare.gov or www.preventchildabuse.org.



• Distribute parenting tip sheets that provide parents with helpful suggestions on how to improve parenting skills. These are downloadable on www.believeintheblue.org, a web site managed by the National Exchange Society, an organization that aims to eliminate child abuse through prevention efforts.



• Build a support network by increasing your involvement in your neighborhood. This could include getting to know your neighbors, helping a family in crisis or under stress, becoming involved in a local school, or keeping your neighborhood save by starting a neighborhood watch. These are efforts that can happen year-round.



• Make a donation to Children's Home Society of Washington. Your contribution will go a long way at helping to develop healthy children and create strong families – two critical components of child abuse prevention.

With a community wide effort, we all can play our role at doing everything we can to increase child abuse prevention efforts so no harm comes to Washington's children. To report child (or adult) abuse, call 1-866-ENDHARM in Washington State.