* Taking Action Health + Wellness | Child Abuse Prevention
FOR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH by Anu Varma Panchal
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pril may signal spring, Easter bunnies and the beginning of Florida’s hot season, but there’s something far more serious we should all think about this month: Child Abuse Prevention. April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, and for local leaders who have devoted their career to taking care of our most vulnerable, this is an issue that cannot be highlighted enough.
The issue of keeping children safe is everybody’s— parents, grandparents, teachers, preachers, neighbors, business people. A healthy community is healthy children. The community needs to operate as a unit and be involved.”
“Everyone has an obligation to make sure children are safe,” says Kelley Parris, executive director of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. “The issue of keeping children safe is everybody’s—parents, grandparents, teachers, preachers, neighbors, business people. A healthy community is healthy children. The community needs to operate as a unit and be involved.” According to the 2015 study from the Administration for Children and Families Children’s Bureau, Child Protection Service agencies across America received about 4 million referrals involving about 7.2 million children during Fiscal Year 2015. These are just the ones we know about; a majority of cases are not even known by the system, says Parris. Children suffer not just from direct abuse and neglect, but also by being a witness or being exposed to abuse in the home of another family member—a broad category often referred to as household dysfunction that can include factors such as an incarcerated relative or living in a home where someone suffers from mental illness or a mother is treated violently. Such exposure can cause psychological damage to a child’s health and social and emotional well-being. This in turn affects their ability to learn and carry on a productive life. Parris explains that the Children’s Board’s goal is to strategically stay the ANU VARMA PANCHAL When Anu isn’t writing, editing or volunteering on the board of her kids' PTA, she’s usually in her minivan driving her two daughters (11 and 8) around Tampa to school and their activities. Although her idea of the ultimate good time is usually found between the pages of a book, Anu also enjoys yoga, her book club, travel, theater and area food and music festivals.
44 TampaBayParenting.com | APR 2017