To the editor:

We would like to thank Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton mayors and city commissioners and the Douglas County commissioners for declaring April “Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month.” As we celebrate this national month of awareness, we are reminded that all children deserve safe and happy childhoods.

Each of us has a role in making Douglas County the best place for children and families to thrive. There are simple actions we can take every day to help reduce family isolation and stress, which are two of the major risk factors of child abuse and neglect. Such actions include making yourself known to new neighbors and families, volunteering at pre-or post-school programs or providing time for parents to have an occasional break from the rigors of parenthood.

With the support of more than 40 local groups, the Douglas County Child Abuse Prevention Task Force’s mission is to empower our community to prevent child abuse and neglect through awareness and education of effective prevention strategies. We focus on the five protective factors: nurturing and attachment, knowledge of parenting and child development, parental resilience, social connections, and concrete support for parents.

The blue pinwheels planted in each city provide a symbolic effort to change the way our nation thinks about prevention and how we can deliver on our commitment to America’s children. As the new national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention, the pinwheel is an uplifting reminder of childhood and the bright futures all children deserve.