April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

  • Published
  • By Maj. Alicia Matteson
  • 436th Life Skills Support Flight commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del --  Approximately, 3 million children are reported abused and neglected in this country every year. An average of 1,500 child-maltreatment cases are substantiated by the Air Force each year.

Four forms of child maltreatment are defined by the Air Force:

1. Physical: non-accidental use of force that either results in, or has potential to result in, significant impact/injury

2. Emotional: non-accidental acts such as threatening, berating or scapegoating that results in, or has potential to result in, significant psychological impact

3. Neglect: egregious act/omission on the part of the child's caregiver that deprives the child of needed age-appropriate care, such as refusal or failure to provide medically indicated care, exposure to physical dangers and abandonment

4.Sexual: sexual exploitation/sexual assault

The negative impact of child abuse is often lifelong and can interrupt a child's emotional, physical and cognitive development. However, child abuse is not just a problem for an affected child or family. Its effects are felt by the whole community and prevention efforts need to be addressed by the entire community.

Dover Air Force Base exemplifies a community approach towards the prevention of child abuse. The primary mission of the Family Advocacy Program is to identify, report, assess and treat family maltreatment by providing clinical intervention for victims, offenders and other family members.

Numerous other wing and group-level committees and agencies also target the prevention of child abuse, such as the Integrated Delivery System, Community Action Information Board, Family Advocacy Committee, Population Health, Life Skills Support Clinic, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Child and Youth Services, Health and Wellness Center, Chaplain Services, Child Development Center, Security Forces, Legal and the Office of Special Investigations. Together, these organizations provide education, strength-based services, identification and treatment for the children and families of our Dover AFB community.

Examples of on-going parental and family programs offered to the base community are: Mommies, Me and Daddies, Too Play group, New Parent Support Program, Bundles for Babies, Give Parents a Break Program, Family Fun Nights, Stress Management Classes, and New Parent Support Tools with 24-hour-a-day access to a counselor through Military One Source.

Please join our base community's efforts to strengthen parent-child relationships and to promote education on the prevention of child abuse. You can make a difference! Any time a supervisor, commander, first sergeant, neighbor, friend, teacher, clergy or concerned member of the community supports a parent's ability to effectively take care of their child - whether helping reduce the stress levels in that parent's life, or modeling appropriate parent skills - a step has been taken towards the prevention of child abuse.

There are Child Abuse Prevention Month information booths and displays throughout the throughout the base with specific information on preventing child abuse and supporting parents and children. Together, our community can make a difference in reducing child maltreatment and strengthening of our families.