April 3, 2023
By Ashley Cooper, Prevent Child Abuse NC Communications Associate
April is here, which means it is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAP Month). Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina (PCANC), in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is leading the statewide CAP Month Campaign with the belief that every child is filled with tremendous promise.
PCANC and DHHS recognize that all North Carolinians have a shared obligation to foster the potential of all children across the state. Each day is an opportunity to build the foundation for our future. We all have a role to play as healthy partners in our communities and we know that building healthy communities takes work.
We all have a responsibility to ensure children have positive experiences. Together, we can build nurturing, positive childhood experiences and create healthy families and strong communities across the state.
Here are 5 ways you can get involved during April and bring awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month in your community.
- Download our Child Abuse Prevention Month toolkit
Inform your community about CAP Month with graphics and pre-written content from our CAPM Toolkit. There are sample press releases, social media graphics and copy, a short promotional video, a sample newsletter blurb, and more. All these tools can be found in the Child Abuse Prevention Month Online Toolkit. Get creative and use what works best for you and your audience! - Plant Pinwheels for Prevention
Pinwheels are the national symbol of child maltreatment prevention across the United States. The pinwheel is reflective of the bright future all children deserve and our belief that we all have a stake in nurturing positive childhoods. Both in digital and physical form, they are used to help educate communities about the importance of supporting children and families. During April, you can plant wheels in your community or attend a pinwheel planting event! Information about pinwheel planting events and how to order pinwheels can be found on the Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month page. - Change your social media profile/cover photos and your Zoom Virtual Background
Let your followers know that you support nurturing positive childhoods in NC by updating your social media cover photos, profile photos, website banners, and Zoom backgrounds to the CAP Month graphics. These can also be found in the CAP Month Toolkit! - Participate in National Child Abuse Prevention Digital Advocacy Day
We have made it extremely easy to participate in Prevent Child Abuse America’s nationwide Digital Advocacy Day on April 19th! Contact your member of Congress to advocate for increased investments for Title II, Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grants, of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to provide states and communities with resources to implement community-based solutions for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Act by filling out short form to find your representatives and contact them. - Order A Kids First License Plate
The Kids First license plate directly benefits The North Carolina Children’s Trust Fund (NC CTF) which helps strengthen families and communities by providing funds for programs that strengthen NC families. Kids First license plate sales help bring evidence-based family strengthening programs to more families and communities. Drive prevention by ordering your Kids First license plate!
For more information about Child Abuse Prevention Month, see our Child Abuse Prevention Month webpage.