The Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Cattaraugus County a better place for children and families. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and this year’s theme is “Building Resilient Children, Families and Communities.”   By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, everyone can help promote children’s social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities. 

Research shows that when parents possess six protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted.  The six protective factors are:

• Nurturing and attachment
• Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development
• Parental resilience
• Social connections
• Concrete supports for parents
• Social and emotional developmental well-being

April is time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children so together we can end child abuse.  Focusing on ways to build and promote the protective factors in every interaction with children and families is the best thing our community can do to prevent child maltreatment and promote optimal child development. 

Please join the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services, the Child Advocacy Center, the Parent Education Program, Cattaraugus County Community Services, the Cattaraugus County Health Department, Cattaraugus Community Action, CASA Trinity, the Cattaraugus County Probation Department, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, Catholic Charities, Southern Tier Health Care Systems, ACCORD Corporation, the Seneca Nation of Indians and all of our school districts by wearing something blue every Friday throughout the month of April for National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month.  Look for our calendar of free family focused events taking place throughout the county during the month of April.  Also, look for the blue lights and pinwheel gardens in local area businesses, schools, libraries, churches, and municipalities across the county that have joined the department to bring awareness to child abuse.   

For more information, contact Evonne Phillips, Director of Services at 716-373-8070.