Cook Children’s Debuts Child Abuse Prevention Month Campaign on Trinity Metro Buses
April marks National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Cook Children’s will display this year’s campaign on 50 Trinity Metro buses.
National Child Abuse Prevention Month brings awareness to recognizing and reporting child abuse. It also recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. Texas consistently has some of the highest child abuse and neglect rates. The pandemic has increased family stress and mental health challenges, both of which increase the risk for child abuse.
The campaign messages, placed inside the buses and on bus benches, will share healthy parenting habits, such as “Discipline fairly and with love. Never use violence or put-downs.”
The team at Cook Children’s aimed for this year’s campaign to help parents and caregivers by sharing everyday actions that can make a difference in their child’s life.
“We are all being inundated with negative media messaging right now. Kids are struggling and caregivers are stretched thin,” said Program Manager Breanna Anderson, The Center for Children’s Health. “It is crucial that Cook Children’s and other service organizations bring attention to the heartbreaking reality of child abuse and the need to report concerns to the appropriate authorities. However, this year in particular, we also wanted to layer in positive reminders to help bolster resiliency and healthy family interactions.”
The campaign will also share two resources: the Cook Children’s Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention website and a phone number to text for local resources.
The campaign signs say:
“It takes repetition to form a new habit. Do these things often:
Give your child praise and hugs. Say “I love you” often.
Set simple rules and consequences. Always follow through.
Discipline fairly and with love. Never use violence or put-downs.
Always show respect for your child’s thoughts and feelings.
Keep your sense of humor and manage stress in healthy ways.
If you feel overwhelmed, arrange for outside help.
For more tips, go to saynotoabuse.org
Text ‘FIND’ to 67629 for local resources and support.”
Call 1-800-252-5400 to report abuse. Visit txabuseonline.org to report abuse online.
Each of 1,570 pinwheels at Cook Children's reflect a child abuse visit
Each year for Child Abuse Prevention Month, Cook Children's displays pinwheels to represent a child abuse visit with the CARE Team. From January to December 2021, there were 1,570 child abuse visits to the CARE Team. Neglect is the No. 1 type of child maltreatment. One in seven children has experienced child maltreatment in the past year. Texas is the No. 1 state for child abuse fatalities.
Led by a pediatrician who is board certified in child abuse medicine, the Cook Children's Child Advocacy Resources and Evaluation (CARE) Team provides medical and forensic evaluations for victims of physical abuse, neglect and drug exposure, sexual abuse screening examinations and preventative education for victims of child maltreatment.
Go to saynotoabuse.org for additional prevention and support resources.
About Cook Children's
Cook Children’s Health Care System embraces an inspiring Promise – to improve the health of every child through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, we’re proud of our long and rich tradition of serving our community. Our not-for-profit organization is comprised of nine companies, including our Medical Center, Physician Network, Home Health company, Northeast Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Center, Health Plan, Health Services Inc., Child Study Center and Health Foundation. With more than 60 primary, specialty and urgent care locations throughout Texas, families can access our top-ranked specialty programs and network of services to meet the unique needs of their child. For 100 years, we’ve worked to improve the health of children from across our primary service area of Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. We combine the art of caring with leading technology and extraordinary collaboration to provide exceptional care for every child. This has earned Cook Children’s a strong, far-reaching reputation with patients traveling from around the country and the globe to receive life-saving pediatric care. For more information, visit cookchildrens.org.
