April is
National Child Abuse
Prevention Month

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, an annual commitment across states and agencies to raise awareness of child abuse and the importance of prevention. In a meaningful push to raise awareness and strengthen children and families in our own state, Governor John Bel Edwards has proclaimed April 2021 as Child Abuse Prevention Month for Louisiana.

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) are the designated agencies in the state to coordinate trauma-informed investigations of child abuse and the delivery of services for victims. Children’s Advocacy Centers provide investigative and treatment services for victims of abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and children who witness violent crimes. Through a groundbreaking initiative led by Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Child and Youth Trafficking Collaborative, nine Children’s Advocacy Centers have specialized staff dedicated to increasing outreach, collaboration, screening, and advocacy for victims of human trafficking.

Children’s Advocacy Centers also serve as central hubs in the community for prevention. These hubs include training for adults to identify and report child abuse, prevention programming to empower children with information about online safety and healthy relationships, and family advocacy services to build resilience and prevent future harm. In 2020 alone, the Louisiana CAC network provided training for over 23,000 adults and empowered over 7,000 children with prevention education.

The first Children’s Advocacy Center in Louisiana, the Jefferson Children’s Advocacy Center, was established in Gretna in 1991. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Children’s Advocacy Centers in Louisiana. Today, there are 15 established Children’s Advocacy Centers across the state. The Louisiana Alliance of Children’s Advocacy Centers is the state association dedicated to supporting each CAC and ensuring that every victim of child abuse in Louisiana has access to the services they need to experience justice and healing.

Across the state and throughout the entire month of April, Louisiana’s Children’s Advocacy Centers will be hosting several virtual and live awareness events for community members, opportunities for giving, and training for professionals. Examples include Love146 #NotaNumber training for caregivers to prevent human trafficking, Stewards of Children Child Abuse Prevention Training to help adults identify and reduce abuse, Play It Safe! Child Abuse Prevention Training for school-aged children, child abuse prevention-focused film screenings, and a wide array of Facebook Live and other social media events. April 19th will be Child Advocacy Center Day in Louisiana through a Senate Resolution by Senator Cameron Henry, a champion for children and CACs.

You will see gardens of blue throughout April as Children’s Advocacy Centers and partner child-serving agencies plant pinwheels throughout their communities. These nationally symbolic emblems serve as a reminder for us to join together in the movement to strengthen the lives, and futures, of all Louisiana children.

To find a Child Abuse Prevention Month event near you, please visit the LACAC Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lacacs  or check out the below event calendar.