Author: Prevent Child Abuse America

Speak Up to Prevent Child Abuse

Join us, alongside our partners nationwide, in contacting lawmakers to urge them to act now to reauthorize and increase funding for the bipartisan Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program. Your members of Congress need to hear from you! 

Act Now

The MIECHV program is a federal grant to states, territories, and Tribes that supports evidence-based home visiting for families and children from prenatal period through kindergarten entry.

Calling Out and Correcting Inequity and Injustice

Yet to accomplish this goal, we must address root causes and systemic factors that perpetuate inequities and injustices—a root that is founded in racism. To truly make an impact in child abuse prevention efforts, we cannot ignore the role long-standing racist policies and deeply integrated systems unfairly disadvantage children and families of color. We can start by understanding some of the influential factors—social determinants of health and racism—so we can learn how to begin the process of dismantling the discrimination. 

Social determinants of health are conditions in which we are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks¹ conditions vary because of unequal access to resources and opportunities like health care, safe housing, financial stability, and qu

Growing Better Together

We all have a role in preparing children to become healthy, thriving members of our community. All families and children succeed by growing a better tomorrow, together. 

Prevent Child Abuse America Announces Eleven Newly Re-chartered Chapters, Extending its Nationwide Reach and Impact through Partnerships

CHICAGO – Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) announced today that its chapters in eleven states—Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, North Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming—successfully completed the organization’s strengths-based chartering process in 2021, helping to extend the organization’s mission throughout the United States.  

Survey Finds Many Parents Concerned That Their Children Have Fallen Behind in School During Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted school for millions of students, forcing many families to juggle online learning, and many parents are concerned that their children have fallen behind at school, according to a Family Snapshot Survey. These concerns can result in increased household stress, but they also may open opportunities to create positive family experiences as parents support children in their learning.

Family Snapshot Survey During Pandemic Looks at Stressors Placed on Families with Children with Special Health Care Needs

Despite the stress of the pandemic, most parents in households with at least one child with special health care needs felt close to their children during this time and did a variety of activities with them, according to a family snapshot survey. But families in these households also experienced several challenges, including high rates of disruption in day care, health care, and employment, and a loss of technological and therapeutic supports.

American Academy of Pediatrics Family Snapshot Survey Measures Domestic Violence, Discipline of Children During Pandemic

A national survey of thousands of families highlights the disruptions and financial stress experienced during the pandemic that may have affected parenting practices and relationships in the home. Spanking has been on the decline in the U.S. and the new study results align with that trend, although about half of parents reported yelling at or threatening their children in the week prior to the survey.

New Report Recommends States Introduce Laws to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, Strengthen Child Safety in Schools & Youth Organizations

Chicago—Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) announced today the release of A Call to Action for Policymakers and Advocates: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Legislation in the States, a new report detailing the need for executive and legislative efforts in all 50 states to prevent child sexual abuse. The 116-page report, authored by Jetta Bernier, executive director of MassKids, the Massachusetts chapter of PCA America and site of the Enough Abuse Campaign, documents specific policies geared towards the prevention of sexual abuse of children and youth in schools and youth organizations nationwide.

National Partnership to Reinvent Child Welfare Expands to Additional States; Now in 22 Locales

Thriving Families, Safer Children: A National Commitment to Well-Being—a first-of-its-kind effort of the U.S. Children’s Bureau, Casey Family Programs, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse America—has expanded its reach to include child welfare jurisdictions in 22 states that stretch from coast to coast and a sovereign tribal nation. In announcing the addition of sites in 16 states, the District of Columbia and White Earth Nation, Thriving Families’ national partner leads are signaling the growing momentum to fundamentally rethink child welfare by creating the conditions and support systems for strong, thriving families where children are free from harm and supported in their communities.

‘Family Snapshots’ Survey Shows Stress, Positive Experiences Shaped Pandemic Year

Families experienced enormous life-altering changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, with disruptions in daily routines, children’s schooling, finances, and personal relationships. The stress has taken a toll on many, and yet a recent survey shows that families also reported positive experiences as they found ways to adapt and strengthen bonds with children.