We Need Your Help - Children at Risk of Abuse & Neglect During Pandemic
4/3/2020
by Deonna Kirkpatrick , Deputy Director for Communications, Department of Health and Human Services
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child advocates across the country
work to raise awareness of child abuse and the ways we can all prevent and stop it. Right now, that message is more important than ever. Children are more at risk for abuse and neglect amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered schools, daycares, libraries, parks and many other places where young people are usually seen and heard; leaving vulnerable children at home, away from what may be the safest place in their daily lives. School is where many children and teens get more than just an education, they get a healthy meal, social and emotional support of friends, teachers, and counselors, and important interventions for various learning disabilities, behavioral and mental health conditions.
Teachers, aids, counselors, principals, and other school employees are our eyes and ears. They often see the first signs of abuse and neglect, get to know siblings and parents, become confidants and learn what’s happening in a family before we do. They are a significant source of calls to our hotline and help us find out which children are at risk, which families need help, and which children are suffering the pain of physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Add to that the additional stress and anxiety parents and students are feeling during the uncertainty of this pandemic. Working from home, trying to learn remotely, worrying about job loss, fear of exposure to the virus and many more pressures would stress any family. Imagine being a parent struggling to put food on the table, trying to maintain sobriety or mental health without the support you need to remain stable, or struggling to manage a child’s difficult behaviors at home.
Imagine being a child suffering through abuse or neglect with no one to protect you or get help. That’s why we need family members, neighbors and friends to help be our eyes and ears. If you see the signs of abuse or neglect, please call 216-696-KIDS (5437). The hotline is staffed 24/7 with people who can offer help to a struggling family or send a child protection specialist to investigate.
Despite the coronavirus, Child Protection Specialists are still working in the community and making home visits when needed to help keep children safe. For more information on the signs of abuse, how to report, and resources for parents visit our website.
by Deonna Kirkpatrick , Deputy Director for Communications, Department of Health and Human Services
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child advocates across the country
work to raise awareness of child abuse and the ways we can all prevent and stop it. Right now, that message is more important than ever. Children are more at risk for abuse and neglect amid the coronavirus pandemic.The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered schools, daycares, libraries, parks and many other places where young people are usually seen and heard; leaving vulnerable children at home, away from what may be the safest place in their daily lives. School is where many children and teens get more than just an education, they get a healthy meal, social and emotional support of friends, teachers, and counselors, and important interventions for various learning disabilities, behavioral and mental health conditions.
Teachers, aids, counselors, principals, and other school employees are our eyes and ears. They often see the first signs of abuse and neglect, get to know siblings and parents, become confidants and learn what’s happening in a family before we do. They are a significant source of calls to our hotline and help us find out which children are at risk, which families need help, and which children are suffering the pain of physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Add to that the additional stress and anxiety parents and students are feeling during the uncertainty of this pandemic. Working from home, trying to learn remotely, worrying about job loss, fear of exposure to the virus and many more pressures would stress any family. Imagine being a parent struggling to put food on the table, trying to maintain sobriety or mental health without the support you need to remain stable, or struggling to manage a child’s difficult behaviors at home.
Imagine being a child suffering through abuse or neglect with no one to protect you or get help. That’s why we need family members, neighbors and friends to help be our eyes and ears. If you see the signs of abuse or neglect, please call 216-696-KIDS (5437). The hotline is staffed 24/7 with people who can offer help to a struggling family or send a child protection specialist to investigate.
Despite the coronavirus, Child Protection Specialists are still working in the community and making home visits when needed to help keep children safe. For more information on the signs of abuse, how to report, and resources for parents visit our website.