Prevention
The best way to confront the problem of child abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first place by surrounding children with healthy parental, family and community-based relationships that are physically and emotionally safe, respectful, supportive, and never violent and abusive.
Parents are strong when faced with stress.
Parental Resilience is all about bouncing back, taking care of yourself, managing stressful situations, and functioning well when faced with challenges.
What can you do to support the resilience of parents you know?
Support parent’s decisions and help them be strong decision-makers
Help parents understand how to buffer their child during stressful times
Encourage and help parents make time for themselves and activities they love
Family and friends are supportive.
Social Connections make any parent feel less alone. Positive relationships provide emotional, informational, and spiritual support. These strong relationships give parents a network to rely on and help parents feel confident, empowered, and able to reach out for help.
What does a socially connected parent look like?
They feel respected and appreciated
They accept help from others and give help to others
They feel like they belong and that they are not alone
They know their experiences can be shared
Parents understand child development and have positive parenting skills.
Knowledge of Child Development helps parents know what to expect as their children grow, gives them strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, and social and emotional development. Understanding these helps you respond to your child in a positive way.
What can you do to encourage knowledge of parenting and child development?
Model developmentally appropriate interactions with children in your life
Provide information and resources on parenting and child development
Encourage parents to observe, ask questions, explore parenting issues, and try out new strategies
Help parents identify when their child is struggling developmentally and point them to resources
Basic needs are met.
Concrete Supports like housing, food, and medical care are the things that every parent and child need to be successful. Knowing where to turn for help when you need it can help families through hard times and help parents minimize stress caused by life’s challenges.
What can you do to ensure concrete supports are available for families when they need them?
Respond immediately when families are in crisis
Know where to find services and connect families to the ones they need
Support local services that provide resources to families in need
Children know how to manage their emotions and social interactions.
Social and Emotional Competence of Children that is nurtured by parents, ensures that children are happier and healthier and that parents can respond warmly and positively to situations. Children develop the ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions and establish and maintain relationships.
What can you do to foster social and emotional competence?
Help children develop a positive cultural identity
Respond proactively when a social or emotional development needs extra support
Model nurturing care to children
The five protective factors were developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy’s Strengthening Families Framework. Language adapted from CO4Kids and the K[NO]W More Campaign.