Child Abuse Prevention Month at CEDARS

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month; a time to come together to raise awareness about a crisis affecting thousands of children across our state. We Wear Blue on the first Friday of the month to raise awareness and show our collective commitment to ending abuse. Every 10 seconds, a case of child abuse is reported somewhere in the United States. This translates to 2,892 of Nebraska’s children being a victim of substantiated child abuse in just one year (Nebraska DHHS Child Abuse and Neglect Annual Data, 2023). Countless more go unreported. Child abuse can happen anywhere, and it’s up to all of us—individuals, families, communities, and lawmakers—to help stop it before it starts and ensure every child grows up safe and loved.

It's crucial to recognize that the vast majority of child abuse and neglect are not simply the result of “bad parents.” While any child, regardless of family structure or socioeconomic status, can be affected, certain risk factors and common themes emerge—chief among them is parental stress. The risk of abuse or neglect rises significantly when parents are overwhelmed by compounded challenges, such as mental health struggles, substance abuse, unresolved trauma, and material hardship. Factors like job loss, school and business closures, public health crises, limited access to childcare, and food insecurity further elevate the risk, making it even more vital that we address these issues in our communities. 

We must support one another in the incredibly challenging job of parenting and make it safe for parents to ask for help. By collectively shouldering this responsibility, we can ensure that parents have the support and resources they need so their children can thrive—and that is the ultimate goal. 

The metaphor of a stream is often used when discussing child abuse—looking upstream to identify ways we can create the healthiest environment and provide positive early experiences to prevent problems down the road. Increasingly, we are recognizing the critical need to focus more of our efforts upstream, offering support to families early on to prevent child abuse before it starts. 

Over 1,000 kids are supported every day by the CEDARS organization. Our mission is to help children achieve safety, stability, and lasting family relationships. Some of our services are focused on children who have already experienced abuse and neglect, wrapping supports around them that are rooted in trauma recovery to help them heal. At the same time, we direct other services further upstream, promoting positive child development and strengthening family connections. We not only work to prevent child abuse but also enhance outcomes for children, setting them on a path to a brighter future. 

Proven prevention strategies include: 

• Strengthen economic supports for families to improve financial stability and ensure children’s basic needs are met.
• Provide access to quality, affordable early childhood care and education, offering children positive, supportive experiences while helping parents build community connections and reduce stress.
• Enhance parenting skills through evidence-based early childhood home visitation programs and parenting education groups, empowering parents with the tools they need to succeed.
• Intervene quickly in cases of abuse, offering effective child and family treatments to reduce risk factors and prevent further harm or abuse recurrence. 

Everyone in our community shares the responsibility of ensuring children have positive experiences and families have the resources they need to thrive. We are working for the day when all families may access the support they need—without stigma—before reaching a crisis, to help them be strong and healthy. 

When we surround children and families with a robust network of support and create nurturing, positive childhood experiences, we lay the foundation for kids to truly thrive. This is not just a dream; it is our unwavering commitment and our goal for every child in Nebraska. Jim Blue, President and CEO of CEDARS, has dedicated his career to advancing CEDARS mission of helping children find safety, stability, and family

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Jim Blue, President and CEO of CEDARS, has dedicated his career to advancing CEDARS mission of helping children find safety, stability, and family.