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The month of April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the city of Jacksonville helped raise awareness in its community with the 16th annual State of the Child Breakfast at the Onslow County Government Complex, April 13.
The State of the Child Breakfast is hosted once a year by the Onslow County Partnership for Children. The breakfast brought members from across the community to discuss what can be done to prevent child abuse.
“Child abuse is one hundred percent preventable,” said Dawn Rochelle, executive director, Onslow County Partnership for Children. “By the grace of god I had the patience, training and the support that when I felt like I needed to walk away from a stressful situation, I knew how to do that. I believe that there are parents that just need a reminder of it and I know that because I’ve been in the line at a coffee shop with them when their children are screaming.”
According to the partnership, Onslow County has historically ranked tenth in the state of North Carolina for child abuse and neglect. That rank is something Rochelle along with her colleagues hope to change. “What we’re trying to do is create an urgency. We want everyone to see that they step in and lessen stress for a child,” said Rochelle. “It’s important to spread awareness because it’s such a complex issue and it seems so overwhelming that people don’t know how to step in.”
One of the things someone can do for a child is be available for them.
“If somebody cares and if a child is going through a difficult situation and has a trusted adult they can turn to, the chances are it will stop areas of stress from becoming toxic and becoming hazardous to development,” said Dana Winters, director of simple interactions and academic programs for the Fred Rogers Center. “We hear a lot about toxic stress and the impact of that on children, but the number-one indicator that stress will not become toxic is having the buffer of an adult and to be able to turn to someone.”
The Onslow County Partnership for Children supports all parents and caregivers from referrals to childcare programs, to resources for families and financial assistance for childcare.
“There’s no greater role in life than being a mom and it humbles me, it challenges me, it excites me, but it’s hard,” said Rochelle. “We know that children are not going to develop to their optimal level, whatever that is for every child, if they do not have a consistent, caring, stable environment. That includes classrooms, homes, churches. That includes everywhere that a child may be and it’s important for the future.”
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2018 13:11 |
| Story ID: | 275055 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Taking care of the children in Onslow County, by Sgt Juan Madrigal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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