April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

In 2014, 3.6 million referrals involving 6.6 million children were made to Child Protective Services for allegations of abuse and neglect, according to Child Maltreatment 2014, a report published by the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children, Youth and Families. Right here in Prince George’s County, over 500 children are living in foster care due to the severity of abuse or neglect they have experienced.

To raise awareness of this challenging problem, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)/Prince George’s County is recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month with a variety of activities to enhance the social and emotional welfare of these children. CASA/Prince George’s County will also continue its efforts to recruit volunteers who are interested in advocating for youth who are abused and neglected. Prospective volunteers are asked to complete an application and undergo phone and in-person interviews before being invited to training. CASA will hold its Spring Pre-Service Training starting April 18, 2016.

“We provide volunteers with the knowledge and skills to advocate for youth who are abused and neglected, and living in foster care. For these youth, the CASA volunteer is the one reliable person in their life and can make a difference by helping to break the cycle of abuse,” explains Ann Marie Binsner, executive director, CASA/Prince George’s County.

“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.

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