First 5 Sacramento Highlights Resources During National Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Five important factors reduce risk of child abuse; parent education courses and supportive services available to families in the community

Sacramento, CA, April 13, 2010 (PressReleasePoint) -- April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, First 5 Sacramento encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making the Sacramento region a better place for families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills and resources they need to care for their children, we can help prevent child abuse and neglect by strengthening our families and communities.

A 2003 study from the Center for the Study of Social Policy shows that five important factors are present in healthy families. Promoting these factors is among the most effective ways to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect. They are:
• Nurturing and attachment—Building a close bond helps parents better understand, respond to, and communicate with their children.
• Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development—Parents learn what to look for at each age and how to help their children reach their full potential.
• Parental resilience—Recognizing the signs of stress and enhancing problem-solving skills can help parents build their capacity to cope.
• Social connections—Parents with an extensive network of family, friends, and neighbors have better support in times of need.
• Stable supports for parents—Caregivers with access to financial, housing, and other concrete resources and services that help them meet their basic needs can better attend to their role as parents.

"April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children," said Roger Dickinson, Chair of First 5 Sacramento and the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors "Everyone's participation is critical. Focusing on ways to promote the five protective factors, in every interaction with families, is the best thing our community can do to strengthen families and help prevent child abuse and neglect."

First 5 Sacramento works with community partners to increase the parenting services and supports to children age zero to five by increasing the number of parent education courses and supportive services that are available to families in the community. These supportive services also include crisis intervention resources, safe/emergency childcare, and home visitation services. Community Partners include the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento (CAPC) / Family Support Collaborative, Birth & Beyond-Community Home Visitation Program, Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services / Nurse Family Partnership Program, Sacramento Children’s Home - Crisis Nurseries, and Elk Grove Unified School District’ / Power of Parenting Program.

For more information about child abuse prevention programs and activities during the month of April and throughout the year, as well as the community partners that provide effective parenting services and resources, please visit www.First5Sacramento.net or call First 5 Sacramento at (916) 876-5865.

About First 5 Sacramento
In 1998, Californians voted to impose a tax on tobacco products (Proposition 10) and directed those funds to prevention, thus the inception of First 5 Commissions in every county. Careful research and local planning by First 5 Sacramento identified that a multi-pronged approach incorporating direct services and preventative care would facilitate long-term results in supporting the healthy development of young children. Preventative care includes the support of the parents and family, but goes beyond the family unit and household to include extended family, friends and neighbors.
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