Courtesy photo Members of the Alpena and Presque Isle Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Team and members of the Exchange Club of Alpena pose for a photo in front of a banner promoting Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.

ALPENA -April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Alpena and Presque Isle Child Abuse and Neglect (CA/N) Prevention Team, along with the Exchange Club of Alpena, are spreading the message that everyone can help great childhoods happen in their community.

The CA/N Team and the Exchange Club will be displaying blue pinwheels and yellow flags around Alpena and Presque Isle County. These are visuals to remind the community of what a crucial role every member of the community plays in helping to prevent child abuse. The pinwheel is a fun and whimsical representation of childhood, which reminds adults that it is our job to ensure each child has a fun and safe up bringing. The Exchange Club of Alpena will have flags displayed throughout Alpena to remind the community of everyone’s role in child abuse and neglect prevention.

It is the responsibility of adults to ensure that every child has the equal opportunity to grow and reach their full potential. Research indicates that families that have certain “protective factors” will be less likely to abuse or neglect children. These factors are parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete support in times of need, and social and emotional competence of children.

“We believe everyone plays a role in the healthy development of children. April is a time we like to remind our community of the important role that each of us plays in child abuse and neglect prevention. When you see a pinwheel or flag this month, think of what you can do to help in your neighborhood and community,” says Tiffany Eddinger, Alpena CA/N Team President.

“The prevention of child abuse has been the Exchange Club’s Nation project since 1979,” said Ray Reynolds, chair of the flag program. “It is Exchange Club’s mission to increase awareness of child abuse, but also do all we can do to prevent it through supporting family activities.”

The CA/N Team and the Exchange Club of Alpena are encouraging the public to learn more about how to support the protective factors for their own family and others. Anyone can go to website such as www.friendsnrc.org/prevention/protective-factors or others to learn about child abuse and neglect protective factors.

Some ideas that anyone can do to help prevent child abuse are:

– Volunteering at an after-school program like the Boys and Girls Club or other programs, or just offering to help a parent

– Attend family fun night sponsored by local organizations

– Learning about abuse prevention curricula that are currently in place at local schools or churches and advocating to create one if there is not yet a program in place

– Donating money to organizations that help families who are in need such as Alpena Baby Pantry, Children’s Closet, or soup kitchen

– Become a mentor for other parents.

Together we can make a difference in a child’s live and help foster family activities.