By: Morgan Reitzel, Follow South Jersey Intern
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Atlantic County Youth Services Commission will be holding a child abuse awareness event at the outdoor courtyard of the Atlantic County Office Building in Atlantic City on April 26 12 p.m.-2 p.m. with its co-sponsors Atlantic Cape Family Support Organization and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey.
Apirl is Child Abuse Preventation Month, and Atlantic County wants to raise greater awarness of child abuse. For the year of 2023, the theme is “Building Together: Prevention in Partnerships,” to assert that we must work together to help stop child abuse and give families resources that they may need to give children a positive childhood.
In 2021 in New Jersey, there were 66,321 that were subjected to an investigation report alleging child maltreatment. There were 3,186 total child maltreatment victims and 10 child fatalities.
The Atlantic Cape Family Support Organization, Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey and the Atlantic County Youth Services Commission will be handing out pinwheels to the guest to representent the prevention of child abuse as it was chosen as the national symbol. The blue and silver pinwheels impersonate a happy, healthy, and safe childhood due to whimsical and childlike notions.
At the event, Keynote speaker Dr. Veronica Ford, Vice President of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, will speak about the importance of the pinwheels and contribute information about Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“We must work together as a community to promote the physical and emotional well-being of our children and families in a safe, stable and nurturing environment,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson in a press release from the county.
Some tips to ensure that your child grows up in a healthy environment is to get happy with yourself, teach them to build healthy relationships, teach optimism and emotional intelligence, have playtime, eat dinner as a family, give freedom, practice gratitude, and give your child responsibility.
For more information, please contact Curtis Still at still_curtis@aclink.org or Robert Schober at rob@acfamsupport.org.
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