Posted: April 14, 2020
By: Kris Demers, Prevent Child Abuse NC Communications Manager
Teachers, counselors, health care professionals, mail carriers, grocery store clerks, volunteers, child care professionals, bank tellers, bus and railway drivers, truck drivers, restaurant workers, food delivery drivers, and other delivery drivers – among others – are essential right now in more ways than one.
North Carolina law requires all adults to report suspected child maltreatment. Times of crisis puts families under great stress and can lead to significant increases in the risk of child maltreatment. North Carolina is experiencing a rise in both domestic violence and child abuse cases as families are socially isolated and the unemployment rate skyrockets.
With stay-at-home orders in place, children may not have much interaction with any adults outside their home. But anyone who interacts with children or families in any capacity can help protect children from the increased risk of child maltreatment.
We encourage you, our partners and supporters, to help us reach all educators, essential workers, and volunteers with the vital information about how to recognize and report child abuse or neglect during these uncertain times.
How You Can Help:
Print or email the flyers below to safely distribute to essential workers, school personnel and volunteers in your community. Ways to do so safely:
Educators Flyer
English Flyer: Empowering Teachers, Counselors, and other school personnel to help keep kids safe
Spanish Flyer
- Share the educators flyer with teachers you know on social media or email.
- Contact local schools and email them a copy of the educator’s flyer with your request to distribute to teachers and counselors.
- Find out if your local school system is hosting any programs to support families during COVID-19 (ie. free meal sites or delivery). If so, email them the flyer and ask them to distribute to the employees and volunteers who support that program.
Essential Workers & Volunteers Flyer
Flyer: Empowering Essential Workers & Volunteers to help keep kids safe
Spanish Flyer
- Leave it in your mailbox with a bottle of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, toilet paper, or bottled water for your mail carrier.
- Have a no-contact basket on your front porch for delivery drivers to take a treat with the flyer attached.
- Print and bring copies when picking up carryout from your favorite restaurants and ask them to distribute to restaurant staff and give to food delivery workers from Postmates or GrubHub. You can also email them a copy with your request.
- Get in contact with local grocery stores, pediatricians, transportation services like city-wide bus or railway systems, banks, and child care centers. Email them a copy of the flyer with your request to distribute them to staff who interact with children and families.
- Contact local programs providing essential services and supports to families in need like free meal program sites, YMCAs, food pantries, diaper banks, or other programs providing concrete supports in their community. Email them a copy of the flyer with your request to distribute to staff or volunteers who interact with families.
- Share on social media and in newsletters to spread the word to all essential workers.
To learn more, take Prevent Child Abuse NC’s free, online trainings: Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment and What is Prevention?
If you have any questions, please contact PCANC Communications Manager by email kdemers@preventchildabusenc.org or phone 919-829-8009 ext. 619.
Special thanks to Prevent Child Abuse Indiana for sharing content and inspiring this post!