By Heather Graves
Editor

BROWN COUNTY – Blue and white pinwheels spinning in the wind outside Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center in Green Bay serve as a visual reminder of the thousands of suspected child abuse cases each year in Brown County.

“April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to act collectively to raise the awareness and empower people across the nation to play a role in making great childhoods happen,” Julie Ferral, manager of the Healthy Families Program and Welcome Baby Program at Family Services, said. “Each pinwheel represents a happy healthy childhood that every child deserves. Everyone can help families thrive, even you.”

Pinwheels are a national symbol for child abuse prevention.

Kristie Sickel, Willow Tree program supervisor and child forensic interviewer, said that on Friday, April 1, the first day of the Pinwheel Prevention Campaign, 120 pinwheels will be displayed, the number of Brown County children helped so far in 2022 due to allegations of sexual or physical abuse, neglect or other maltreatment.

“Child Abuse Prevention Month in April is a time to build awareness of child abuse and neglect throughout the community in an effort to help prevent future cases,” Sickel said.

Sickel said the Pinwheel Prevention Campaign isn’t just about getting people to report, it’s an attempt to connect people with resources before abuse or neglect begins.

“In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the national symbol for child abuse prevention,” she said. “The pinwheel has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.”

In a typical year, roughly 5,000 suspected cases of child abuse are reported in Brown County alone.

“Each child who comes to Willow Tree is unique and different in their own special way,” Sickle said. “Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center strives to protect, heal and care for every child we serve as they move towards a bright future.”

Ferral said the first step to preventing child abuse and neglect is making sure parents and caregivers have the resources and support they need to safely care for their children.

“The Welcome Baby Program is a program of prevention,” she said. “All parents receive a Welcome Baby visit either prenatally or at the hospital at the time of their child’s birth, with information about community resources, which include home visitation programs that can support them in their parenting journey.”

For more information contact Erika Ritchie, communications coordinator, at [email protected]

10 ways to help prevent child abuse
Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin

• Be a nurturing parent – Children need to know that they are special, loved, and capable of following their dreams.

• Help a friend, neighbor or relative – Being a parent isn’t easy. Offer a helping hand to take care of the children, so the parent(s) can rest or spend time together.

• Help yourself – When the big and little problems of your everyday life pile up to the point you feel overwhelmed and out of control – take time out. Don’t take it out on your kid.

• If your baby cries… It can be frustrating to hear your baby cry. Learn what to do if your baby won’t stop crying. Never shake a baby – shaking a child may result in severe injury or death.

• Get involved – Ask your community leaders, clergy, library and schools to develop services to meet the needs of healthy children and families.

• Help to develop parenting resources at your local library – Find out whether your local library has parenting resources, and if it does not, offer to help obtain some.

• Promote programs in school – Teaching children, parents and educators prevention strategies can help to keep children safe.

• Monitor your child’s television, video and internet viewing/usage – Excessively watching violent films, TV programs, and videos can harm young children.

• Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program – For information about volunteer opportunities, call 1-800-CHILDREN or contact your local Prevent Child Abuse America chapter.

• Report suspected abuse or neglect – If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, call your local department of children and family services or your local police department.

Healthy Families is part of a national program to support parents during the first few years of their child’s life to help children have a happy and healthy start with free and voluntary programming.