April Is Child Abuse Prevention Month
Posted April 3, 2006
Introduction
Ensuring the safety of our children is the foundation for providing them with a proper education and a future as healthy and happy adults. All members of our community share part of the responsibility of protecting children.
The family home, the child's school, and social and faith organizations are places where children can thrive in the absence of abuse and neglect when preventive and investigative measures are employed.
An estimated 906,000 children were determined to be victims of child abuse or neglect in 2003. For 2003, an estimated 1,500 children died due to abuse or neglect. (US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect; nccanch.acf.hhs.gov)
Resources are available for helping individuals who have been affected by child maltreatment or who would like to help prevent it. With the right combination of education and support, child maltreatment is preventable.
The Keys to Prevention: Education and Support
Education:
- Becoming informed about child abuse and neglect helps us all to feel inspired to do our part to prevent unsafe situations for children.
- Learning skills for coping with the challenges of caring for children helps us to be in control of our feelings and behaviors.
- Sharing information with each other and our children fosters an awareness of positive options for every member of the community.
Support:
- Parenting is a challenge. Parents need nourishing adult friendships and practical assistance to care for their children effectively and safely.
- Assisting families with chores and being a good friend to parents eases the stress of caring for children and a household.
- Taking advantage of support groups in the community helps parents to get through feelings of loneliness, anger and desperation. Such groups also provide ways of meeting friends and enjoying one's parenting duties.
Education and Support Resources:
ISKCON Office of Child Protection
US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and
Families, National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information
Books about child abuse for children
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Every year, educational, medical, governmental, and various
professional, faith and neighborhood organizations around the country
participate in National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Aimed at raising
awareness, protecting children and strengthening families, participants
spread the word about child abuse through community-wide events such as:
· Blue Ribbon Campaigns - This practice began when a grandmother,
devastated at the death of her grandchild by her daughter's boyfriend, tied
a blue ribbon around her vehicle antenna in remembrance of him. The color
blue is the color of bruises on an abused child's body as well as the color
of "blue ribbons," symbolizing strength and excellence in the cause of child
protection. We can all be Blue Ribbon Vaishnavas when we protect and support
children! Blue ribbon can be purchased at craft stores and community members
can make small blue ribbons to tie on almost anything to remind each other
about child protection. [Enameled blue ribbon pins may be purchased at:
Click Here. To develop a Blue
Ribbon Campaign, take advantage of the strategy provided here:
pca-ny.org/blueribbon.shtml#steps. Blue wrist bands / awareness
bracelets may be purchased here:
Click Here
.]
· Real Men Rock - This project is focused on preventing shaken
baby syndrome by informing and involving fathers and other men. It promotes
holding the child safely, close to the man's chest while rocking in a
rocking chair to calm crying children - and the men themselves. So many of
our devotee fathers are examples of caring, thoughtful protectors of theirs
and others' children. Perhaps some of them will be inspired to share child
protection information with each other and other members of their community.
· Honoring a community's cultural heritage - Examples include
"Honor Our Children, Honor Our Heritage" and "Honor Our Children, Drum Out
Child Abuse," both of which are projects developed by Native American
communities. Vaishnavism has a heritage rich in esteeming children as
valuable and knowing children to be vulnerable people who must be honored
and protected. We can continue that tradition throughout our world-wide
society by being informed about, and involved in, child protection projects.
· Distributing educational materials to community members -
Copying and passing out concise information on child abuse prevention is one
of the least expensive and most effective ways of reaching people. There are
several resources where easy downloading and printing of simple educational
materials is available. Certainly, even the most "broke" of us can
contribute to ensuring children's wholeness by printing out a stack of
child abuse prevention information and passing them out at the next local
devotee gathering we attend. For those who have more to give, sponsoring a
stock of nice pamphlets, ribbons and awareness bracelets for the community
is a great way to make child abuse prevention visible, accessible, and
enlivening for all community members.
The theme of this year's National Child Abuse Prevention Month
is Safe Children and Healthy Families are a Shared Responsibility . A 2006
Community Resource Packet may be found, ordered and downloaded at
Click Here. This
packet is FREE and includes a poster (with additional free posters
available as well). You may also find a Preventing Childhood Sexual Abuse
brochure from the Kempe Center at:
Click Here. For more
information, you may download another packet entitled Child Abuse and
Neglect General Information Packet by using this link:
Click Here.
Simple Tips for Everyone
What to do if you feel overwhelmed while caring for children - try any or
all of the following options:
- Avoid touching the child if you are angry or frustrated.
- Take deep breaths, sit down and pray for patience and compassion.
- Make sure your child is safe and go to another room by yourself
until you feel calm. It's all right to tell your child in a non-threatening
way that you need some time by yourself.
- Call a friend, take a walk or relax in a soothing bath or shower.
- Rub your shoulders and listen to uplifting music.
- Call a parenting support hotline such as Childhelp USA(r). This
National Child Abuse Hotline number is 1-800-4-A-CHILD(r) - (1-800-422-4453)
and is available 24 hours a day.
What to do to avoid conflicts and to instill discipline - utilize all of
these options:
- Make your home child-friendly. Keep precious, breakable and
dangerous items out of the child's sight and reach.
- Learn about common characteristics of the age of your child. (See
Ages and Stages below.)
- Engage the child in activities that are age appropriate and that are
in harmony with the child's abilities and interests.
- Redirect inappropriate behavior by offering the child positive and
acceptable alternatives such as looking at books, coloring, singing and
dancing, and helping with household tasks.
- Ignore certain behaviors that are not actually dangerous or harmful.
- Develop a rhythm to the day that incorporates meals, play, reading,
individual alone time, and relaxation, and projects that the whole family
enjoys.
Child Protection Teams
According to the ISKCON Office of Child Protection (CPO), a
Child Protection Team is, "a group of two or three devotees, chosen by the
local ISKCON community, who have initial responsibility for responding to
reported child abuse. They are reasonably knowledgeable on what to do and
what not to do, can offer guidance to parents and other community members,
and will follow-up to insure proper procedures have been followed." (ISKCON
Child Protection Office, CPO; Child Protection Teams;
Click Here)
Protecting children and supporting the work of your local CPT is
inspiring for everyone involved. Community members can become familiar with
information on how to prevent child abuse and neglect by becoming a team
member or by studying the CPT's educational materials and participating in
their community-wide educational efforts. Through ongoing training of the
CPT and educational projects throughout our entire community, we can ensure
that our children are cared for with safety and respect.
If you have a concern about child protection within the ISKCON
community, contact your local CPT or the CPO. By working together as
parents, friends and concerned community members, we will develop an
effective and lasting partnership in child protection.
Vaishnava Family Support Services
ISKCON Office of Child Protection
Vaisnava Family Resources
Vaisnava Attachment Parenting Association
Vaishnava Children's Initiative
Web site is under construction and seeking contributions in the form of
pictures, articles and project profiles related to Vaishnava children and
families: www.vci.srinama.com
For more information about VCI's international family-oriented community
projects, please write or call us at 303.443.1609 or vci@srinama.com
Family Resources: General and Crisis Situations
For Crisis Situations:
Childhelp USA 1-800-4-A-CHILD
Call if you need someone to talk to and if you feel you may harm your child.
Parents Anonymous 1. 800.421.0353
This self-help organization helps parents to avoid harming their children.
To Report Suspected Abuse or Neglect:
Please inform your local CPT if you suspect or witness any form
of child maltreatment within your devotional community, especially if it
occurs on the Temple property. For emergency situations, where there is risk
to the child's life or safety, please call 911.
For General Support:
Ages and Stages 515.294.5247
Extension Distribution Center
Call or write to receive simple, useful information about
children's needs and characteristics at various ages.
Zero to Three
National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families
Zero to Three's Parenting A-Z:
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information
Children's Bureau/ACYF
Quotations about Children
The evolution of culture is ultimately determined by
the amount of love, understanding and freedom experienced by its children
...
Every abandonment, every betrayal, every hateful act towards children
returns tenfold a few decades later upon the historical stage,
while every empathic act that helps a child become what he or she wants to
become, every expression of love toward children heals society and moves it
in unexpected, wondrous new directions.
Lloyd deMause
Children need to know that they are a miracle ...that since the beginning of
the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not
be another child like them.
Pablo Casals
Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think
of you.
H. Jackson Brown
A child's hand in yours - what tenderness and power it arouses.
Marjorie Holmes
Stop trying to perfect your child, but keep trying to perfect your
relationship with him.
Dr. Henker
Children are one-third of our population and all of our future.
Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health
Children are the keys of paradise.
Richard Stoddard
About VCI
The Vaishnava Children's Initiative is dedicated to serving the
Vaishnava children of the world by providing information and support to our
families and community leaders. Our mission is "healthy families, harmonious
education, holistic spirituality."
We hope that this article has served to inform and inspire
members of our community. We encourage all to contact the organizations
listed. Please participate in this great opportunity to become aware and
active in the projects related to child protection in general and to
National Child Abuse Prevention Month in particular.
On an equally inspiring note, National Family Month is
celebrated in June! We are enlivened to know that the Vaishnava community is
supporting Vaishnava families more and more. We invite you to participate in
this dialogue through our partner, the Vaisnava Family and Community
Conference located at: groups.yahoo.com/group/VFCC.
Disclaimer
The content of this article is for informational use only and is
not intended to take the place of consultation with professionals in the
field of child maltreatment. VCI is an independent entity and is not a
function, project or representative of ISKCON or its Child Protection
Office.
P.O. Box 1438, Alachua, Florida 32616, USA
Phone: 386.418.0882; Fax: 386.418.0982
nccanch.acf.hhs.gov
Click Here
P.O. Box 1438, Alachua, Florida 32616, USA
Phone: 386.418.0882; Fax: 386.418.0982
Click Here
Click Here
National Child Abuse Hotline, 24 Hours a Day
119 Printing and Publications Bldg.
Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011
2000 M Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 638-1144
www.zerotothree.org/ztt_parentAZ.html
1250 Maryland Avenue, SW
Eighth Floor
Washington, DC 20024
800.394.3366 or 703.385.7565; Fax: (703) 385-3206
nccanch@icfcaliber.com
nccanch.acf.hhs.gov
You are instantly the very touchstone of wisdom and strength.