by Barbara Finch, Community Networks Director
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and one of the traditional activities is #WearBlue4Kids Day: when people take a photo of themselves with colleagues, friends or family, all wearing blue—and often post it to social media saying what child abuse prevention means to them, as in the example above from the Santa Barbara County Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who joined their DSS colleagues for a Wear Blue photo! You can see those DSS Wear Blue photos here. Read on for some thoughts about the role DSS plays in responding to and preventing child abuse.
The mission of our Department is to help residents of Santa Barbara County be safe, supported and self-sufficient. In fulfilling this mission, we play a critical role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
When we think about child abuse and our department, Child Welfare Services automatically comes to mind. Our CWS workers are the heroes and heroines who respond when there is a concern for a child’s safety, who make sure that children are safe from harm, and who work with families –biological, resource and adoptive families – to be sure that adults have the knowledge and skills they need to meet the unique needs of children who have been victims of abuse or neglect.
Our department is also at the forefront of the prevention movement! Through our Economic Assistance and Employment Services branch, we provide critical supports that reduce family stress, keep children healthy, and help families to be resilient when they are facing challenges. Concrete support and parental resilience are two of the protective factors that reduce child abuse and neglect. Our department activities help to strengthen families and this is the key to prevention!
Our Department also contracts with community providers and leads the Child Abuse Prevention Council to create a strong prevention network. We are sharing information about Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma-informed care. We encourage everyone to practice self-care and embrace the six ways of reducing toxic stress: sleep, nutrition, exercise, healthy relationships, mindfulness, and if needed, mental health services. These simple strategies can help children and adults develop a healthy stress response and can reduce the negative effects of trauma.
Thank you for wearing blue and for doing your part to prevent child abuse and neglect!