Opinion: It's Time to #StandUpNH ... Our Children Can't Wait

By Keryn Bernard-Kriegl

It seems that incidents of parental wrong-doings are a regular item in the news. Blame and hatred are spewed at individuals but not a lot of solutions come forth.

In the early 1980s, Congress made a commitment to identifying and implementing solutions to child abuse. Recognizing the alarming rate at which children continued to be abused and neglected and the need for innovative programs to prevent child abuse and assist parents and families affected by maltreatment, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives resolved that the week of June 6-12, 1982, should be designated as the first National Child Abuse Prevention Week. They asked the President to issue a proclamation calling upon Government agencies and the public to observe the week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. The following year, April was proclaimed the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since then, child abuse and neglect awareness activities have been promoted across the country during April of each year.

Though New Hampshire has been participating in this public awareness campaign for decades, the numbers of children being abused and neglected continues to be more than 900 a year. We have failed to create the urgency needed to really make change. Unlike EEE, West Nile Virus, Ebola or even the recent measles outbreak, child abuse and neglect does not get the attention or funding from media, the public, or our Division of Public Health Services.

Why is this? I believe it is because it is too close to home. We know that one in four women and one in six men was abused or neglected before the age of 18. This is about 20 percent of our adult population dealing with the effects of childhood trauma. We shy away from the issue because our cultural norms view this as an individual’s issue that requires an individual’s solution.

We now know child abuse and neglect is really a community issue. Communities that celebrate and welcome new infants by hosting community baby showers and neighborhood or faith group check-ins and casserole support help parents raise children. Communities that facilitate connections through public recreation areas, sidewalks, and family events, help parents raise children. Communities that provide intergenerational opportunities in schools, community organizations and faith groups help parents raise children. Communities that have empathy and compassion and do small acts of kindness when a child is having a tantrum, wandering away or overcoming an obstacle help parents raise children.

This April, let’s make a shift from expecting stressed families to raise their children in isolation to creating communities of support. Let’s look at the 293,000 children in New Hampshire as OUR children and make decisions and take actions in OUR children’s best interest. for more information you can contact the New Hampshire Children’s Trust at nhchildrenstrust.org #StandUpNH and take a stand against child abuse.

Keryn Bernard-Kriegl is the executive director of the NH Children’s Trust.