CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
 CAN BE PREVENTED

Parents and caregivers who have support—from family, friends, neighbors, and their communities—are more likely to provide safe and healthy homes for their children. When parents lack this support or feel isolated, on the other hand, they may be more likely to make poor decisions that can lead to neglect or abuse.
Increasingly, concerned citizens and organizations are realizing that the best way to prevent child abuse is to help parents develop the skills and identify the resources they need to understand and meet their children's emotional, physical, and developmental needs and protect their children from harm.

The following protective factors have been linked to a lower incidence of child abuse and neglect:

Nurturing and attachment. When parents and children have strong, warm feelings for one another, children develop trust that parents will provide what they need to thrive.

Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development. Parents who understand how children grow and develop can provide an environment where children can live up to their potential.

Parental resilience. Parents who are emotionally resilient have a positive attitude, creatively problem solve, effectively address challenges, and are less likely to direct anger and frustration at their children.

Social connections. Trusted and caring family friends provide emotional support to parents by offering encouragement and assistance in facing the daily challenges of raising a family.

Concrete supports for parents. Parents need basic resources such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and access to essential services that address family-specific needs (such as child care, health care, and mental health services) to ensure the health and well-being of their children.

Information provided by:
Child Abuse and Neglect
www.childwelfare.gov/can/

For more information on preventing child abuse, please contact your local DHS office or email Linda Robinson at linda.robinson@arkansas.gov