As a new member of Danbury’s social support network, we at Saint Joseph’s Parenting Center want everyone to know that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It’s a good time to think about the steps all of us can take to prevent child abuse. 

You probably know that child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions, and at all levels of education. You may not have heard that a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds. 

According to the U.S. Children’s Bureau, the most common type of maltreatment is neglect. In 2020, about 3.9 million referrals were made to child protective services concerning the safety and well-being of 7.1 million children. Last year, an estimated 618,000 children were found to be victims of child abuse or neglect nationwide. 

Several risk factors can lead to abuse: 

1. Family Violence 

1. Alcohol and Drug Abuse 

1. Untreated Mental Illness 

1. Lack of Parenting skills 

1. Stress and lack of support 

1. Multigenerational trauma 

Any of these factors could affect a family. To take just one, all parents know that raising kids can be stressful sometimes. 

The theme for this year’s Child Abuse Prevention Month, “Thriving Children and Families: Prevention With Purpose,” is a good way to describe how Saint Joseph Parenting Center supports families. At SJPC, we help moms and dads learn how to cope with the difficult days of childrearing. 

You can help, too. Friends, educators, neighbors, and employers are all part of the support network. Look for signs of social isolation among parents so that you can give guidance to promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships. We want to help parents build resilience and learn to nurture and create attachments with their children, gain more knowledge on parenting and child development, and gain social connections so they can share ideas and successes, as well as discuss issues. Every parent can also benefit from concrete support in times of need. 

That’s why Saint Joseph’s Parenting Center has opened a new office at The Sacred Heart Parish Center, 46 Stone St. in Danbury. (Its original office is in Stamford at the Yerwood Center, 90 Fairfield Ave.) 

SJPC’s vision is that all children live in a world free of child abuse and neglect. With that vision in mind, our mission is to strengthen families that are at risk of child abuse and neglect, by providing parenting education and support. 

For help or more information, call today at (203) 273-5622. 

CrystalPerkins is the Center Director for the Saint Joseph Parenting Center office in Danbury. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact her at (203)273-5622 orcperkins@sjpcenter.org.