Prevention means stopping something before it happens. Unfortunately, Court Appointed Special Advocates are only appointed to a child’s case after an allegation of abuse or neglect is made. While we aren’t able to protect a child before they are referred to us, we can intervene quickly to prevent continued abuse and neglect.
Henrico CASA will be a necessary part of the community as long as even one child is experiencing abuse or neglect. However, we would love to put ourselves out of business because that would mean we ended child abuse in our community! That’s why we seek to educate the community on the needs of vulnerable children, the underlying causes and signs of abuse and neglect, and the importance of taking action.
There are small, every day steps you can take to help protect children and ensure they have the childhood they deserve. Here are just a few to get you started.
- Help a friend, neighbor, or relative who may need support.
- Get involved with community organizations promoting healthy families.
- Develop or share parenting resources.
- Ask for prevention programs in schools.
- Report suspected abuse or neglect.
- Wear blue this month, the color of child abuse prevention month, and tell people why!
Visit PreventChildAbuse.org to further explore these ideas and others.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Virginia Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline at (800) 552-7096. The hotline is staffed 24/7. You may make a call anonymously, but if you provide your name it will allow local authorities to follow-up with you.
