APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH
(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK) – During the month of April, government and community leaders will promote making great childhoods happen in every community in Oklahoma, according to Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma, a leading state organization dedicated to providing families in-home parent education and support.
April is nationally observed as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma works year-round to prevent child abuse and neglect through parent education, support and advocacy.
“Parent Promise works with families every day to create positive programs to help parents provide loving, nurturing and safe homes for their children by providing home-based services to parents facing challenges in meeting the basic needs of their children,” said Sherry Fair, Parent Promise Executive Director. “As the leader in child abuse prevention in Oklahoma, we are also calling for Oklahoma legislators to reinstate state funding for child abuse prevention services that are proven to have a 93 percent effectiveness rate in keeping children and families out of more expensive state services.”
Several activities will take place across the state during the month to bring awareness to efforts to prevent child neglect and abuse.
Casual 4 Kids and Wear Blue Day will take place on April 6. Employees from several businesses, government offices and organizations will wear specially-designed Casual 4 Kids t-shirts to bring awareness to child abuse prevention. Others will recognize the day by wearing blue, the official color of Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma. Companies and organizations making Casual 4 Kids and Wear Blue Day possible are Bancfirst, Paycom, Mullins Mullins Sexton and Reaves, Mercedes Benz of OKC, MidFirst Bank, Express Employment Professionals, Echols & Associates, Arvest Bank, Integris, Sonic-America’s Drive-in, Rococo Restaurant, Glenn Coffee & Associates, Connie Calvert, Edmond Exchange Club and the National Exchange Club Foundation. T-shirts may be purchased by calling Parent Promise at 405-232-2500.
Pinwheel gardens will be displayed throughout the month. Organizations and businesses across the state will also build pinwheel gardens at their places of business during the month of April. The pinwheel is the official symbol of Prevent Child Abuse America and represents the happy childhoods all children deserve, Fair said.
Field of Flags at the Oklahoma State Capitol. The weekend of April 21, Exchange Clubs of Oklahoma City will present the annual display of American and Oklahoma flags on the State Capitol grounds to raise awareness about the importance of investing in child abuse and neglect prevention programs.
The Oklahoma Field of Flags honors Oklahoma children who died from abuse and neglect in 2017, and the American flags represent the thousands of children across the country who are victims of child abuse and neglect every year. Legislators and government officials will hold a press conference and ceremony at 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 23. The flags will be displayed through April 29.
“Research shows that investing in prevention programs saves expenses associated with the fallout and trauma once a child has been abused,” Fair said. “When we help families by showing them ways to be nurturing parents and how to be aware of their child’s physical and emotional development, we are breaking the cycle of abuse and helping children enter school ready to learn and helping families become more self-sufficient.”
Parent Promise is a 501 c 3 organization that was founded in 1988 by the members of the National Exchange Club service organization. In 2001, the organization merged with Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma, and its mission is to provide home-based education and support in order to prevent the neglect and abuse of Oklahoma’s children.
Prevent Child Abuse Month Press Release
