To prevent child abuse, help build strong families

Eliminating child abuse and neglect will take ongoing commitment by everyone. So let’s begin in April — Child Abuse Prevention Month — to take concrete steps that strengthen our region’s families.

According to the Missouri Children’s Division, more than 14,500 children in Southeast Missouri suffered from child abuse and neglect in 2018, a 6.4% increase from the previous year. Often, it’s an outcome of societal and economic stressors – poverty, violence, substance abuse or mental health issues – that push families to the edge. Some adults lack the basic parenting skills others take for granted. Abused children become adult abusers. Without healthy role models or supports, children are left with lifelong emotional and physical scars.

Instead of assessing blame, action is needed to address these systemic issues – helping parents learn to parent, building job skills and moving away from life on the edge. Studies show that when families receive a circle of support, services and training, it’s also often possible to safely reunify children and parents, thus creating a strong family unit where none existed before.

Great Circle’s work in Southeast Missouri centers around being there when children and families need help — providing temporary shelter and support for children and families when the home environment becomes unsafe. Yet, our very best work comes when we can focus upstream, to prevent child abuse and neglect from happening.

Within our circle of support, Great Circle helps break the cycle of abuse and neglect, guiding parents and children toward a brighter future, and in the process, reducing societal costs and a lifetime of physical and mental scars.

Children thrive when families are strong. Together, we can make an impact – please stand with Great Circle to add your voice and support to efforts that eliminate child abuse and neglect in southeast Missouri, not just in April but throughout the year.

— Michael Turner
Program Director, Southeast Region, Great Circle