To the editor:
April is observed as National Child Abuse Prevention Month which was formally established by President Ronald Reagan in 1993.
Child Abuse Prevention is a special observance but saving children from abuse is a 365-day-a-year mission. National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Child maltreatment is more common than people think. In Richmond County, incidents of child abuse have increased.
For the month of January 2021, 45 child protective services reports were investigated. There were also 72 reports investigated in February and 76 in March.
Richmond County currently has 67 children in foster care. Children come into foster care when a report alleging abuse, neglect, or dependency has been received through the agency and the allegations were found to be true and the child is in need of protection.
You may have noticed the blue and silver pinwheels placed around the agency to bring awareness to Child Abuse. The pinwheels were chosen as the symbol of Child Abuse Prevention because it connotes playfulness, joy, and childhood. It is a physical reminder of the great childhoods we want all children to experience. These pinwheels are used to help educate communities about the importance of supporting children and families.
Richmond County hopes that our efforts to change the way of thinking of not only the county and state, but also the nation on prevention through focusing on community activities and public policies to ensure that child abuse and neglect is a thing of the past and no longer affect our children.Â
Lakwanza Brown
Foster Care Supervisor, Richmond County Department of Social Services
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