April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month Published April 14, 2015 By Deborah Hall 436th Medical Operations Squadron DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, the Dover Air Force Base Family Advocacy Program encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in strengthening our community and enhancing its resilience. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children's social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families in our community. A strong, stable family is the best foundation for a promising childhood, and when parents and caregivers have support from loved ones, friends, and their community, they are more likely to provide safe and healthy environments for children. Military families serve and sacrifice courageously for their country. They experience stressful circumstances that are tied to the nature of military service: frequent moves, separation from family and support networks, and lengthy absences of a parent to name a few. Military children often must adjust to a new home, a new school, and a new group of friends as they cope with leaving familiar people, friends, and routines behind. Children thrive when they have nurturing, supportive relationships and interactions with the adults in their lives. With the support of the Dover community, military children have the opportunity to thrive and grow into contributing, caring, and healthy adults. When individuals, families, and communities possess certain skills, strengths, or resources known as "protective factors," they are able to deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate risk in families and communities. Families thrive when protective factors are robust in their lives and communities. Protective factors help parents to find resources, supports, or coping strategies that allow them to parent effectively, even under stress. Research has shown that when parents possess the following protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted. These six protective factors are linked to a lower incidence of child abuse and neglect: · Nurturing and attachment · Parental resilience · Social connections · Basic economic needs met · Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development · Social and emotional competence of children Did you know that Dover's Family Advocacy Program offers services to enhance these protective factors? Classes for parents of children of all ages and the New Parent Support Program are available to the Dover community, as well as education and counseling for couples in strengthening their relationship. Our daily lives can be quite stressful and Family Advocacy offers instruction in anger management. All of these skill-building opportunities contribute to the resilience of Dover AFB families and our military community. To learn more about Family Advocacy and its services, please call 302-677-2711. April is a month dedicated to celebrating the important role that communities play in protecting children. Focusing on ways to build and promote the protective factors, in every interaction with children and families, is essential in the prevention of child maltreatment and promoting optimal child development. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we will strive to provide a great childhood for every military child!