Making Meaningful Connections: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, Court Appointed Special Advocate encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Prince George’s County a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children’s social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities. In honor of this year’s theme- “Making Meaningful Connections” Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) encourages everyone in Prince George’s County to think about how they can help families to make meaningful connections to each other and to community resources, and to advocate for victims of child abuse.

All year long, Court Appointed Special Advocate helps abused and neglected children heal so they can live happier, safer lives. CASA volunteers – Court-Appointed Special Advocates – make sure kids don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service systems or languish in foster care. CASA volunteers stay with children until their court case is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. CASA volunteers also help prepare older foster youth for adulthood after emancipation.

This month, Court Appointed Special Advocate will host or participate in a variety of activities to share child abuse and neglect prevention and awareness strategies and advocate for victims in Prince George’s County. Activities include:

· Pre-service training in Hyattsville to teach citizen volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in foster care

· National Crime Victims’ Rights Week event on April 18th at the Kentland/Palmer Park Recreation Center from 10-3

· CASA Night at Meet Me Monday at Old Towne Inn in Largo on April 20th from 6-10pm

· Community Day, sponsored by Forestville High School PTSA on April 25th at the Centre at Forestville from 10-4

· Fundraising campaign to raise money to support abused and neglected children April 16-30th

· “Celebrate Meaningful Connections” event, sponsored by Knights Health Care, LLC.

“April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children,” said Ann Marie Binsner, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocate. “Everyone’s participation is critical. If everyone in the community put the needs of children and youth first, we could go a long way in preventing child maltreatment and promoting health families and communities.”

Not everyone can be a CASA volunteer, but everyone can be an advocate by taking steps to make our community safer for our children:

· Be mindful of the signs of abuse and neglect in children, such as a lack of adult supervision, extreme passivity or aggression or poor hygiene.

· Be aware of warning signs in parents, such as showing indifference or rarely touching or looking at their child, constant verbal criticism, demands for perfection, blaming the child for family problems or other irrational behaviors.

· If you think a child is in immediate danger, don’t hesitate. Call 911.

· If you believe a child is being abused or neglected, report your suspicions confidentially to our county’s child abuse hotline at 301-909-2450.

Working together, we can end abuse and neglect so that every child has a chance to thrive. For more information on volunteering, events or to donate, go to www.pgcasa.org

About Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)/Prince George’s County, Inc.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George’s County, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of abused and neglected children living in foster care. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it is our goal to promote the timely placement of the children we serve in safe, permanent homes.

Media Contact

Ann Marie Binsner, Executive Director 301-209-0491