Please join us for the dedication of the Portsmouth Pinwheels for Prevention Garden on Monday, April 15 at 3:00.  The garden is located at the Ambassador Club on London Boulevard.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Blue Pinwheels everywhere.  That's our goal.  We want Portsmouth to be a sea of blue pinwheels.  We want everyone to know that a blue pinwheel is the symbol for the national campaign to prevent child abuse.

And we want everyone to ask themselves what they can do to help prevent child abuse and neglect. You see, this can't be a once-a-year event. It must be a sustained effort. 

Think about this:  Every 83 minutes a child in Virginia is abused or neglected.  Every 10 days in Virginia a child dies from abuse or neglect.  These children can't to wait for child abuse prevention month to come around each year for help. 



 

Child Abuse in Virginia

From July 2010 through June 2011, 49,619 children were reported to the Dept. of Social Services as possible victims of abuse and/or neglect.  Of that number, 6,116 children were victims of founded reports of child abuse and/or neglect. 

 

More than half, 66% of victims in founded investigations were white, 33% were black and 1% were Asian.

 

In addition,34,876 children were involved in reports that resulted in a family assessment.  This means that Child Protective Service workers completed a family services needs assessment, developed a written safety plan, if needed and provided or arranged for services, if needed.

 

During that same period, 30 children in Virginia died from injuries attributable to abuse and/or neglect.  Of those, 26 were children age 4 or younger.

What can you do?
               Encourage families under stress to seek out support services.
               Advocate for services for families and children in your community
               Report child abuse and/or neglect when you suspect it.