u003cpu003eu003cemu003eBy Claire Louge, Executive Directoru003c/emu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/EDCorner-A-New-World-scaled.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022 wp-image-10621 alignleftu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/EDCorner-A-New-World.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022343u0022 height=u0022207u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eIf you work to prevent child abuse, you’ve probably had this thought:u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eThere’s just SO MUCH that needs to be done. u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eIt’s true. And what’s also true is that u003cstrongu003eno single one of us can do it allu003c/strongu003e. Because of that, you may have also asked yourself, u003cstrongu003e“How do I pick what to do so I can make the most positive impact?”u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eI’ve been reflecting on this question since the new year.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eChild abuse prevention is a field in which there is so much to do. There are even different u003cemu003elevelsu003c/emu003e of prevention to engage in – tertiary, secondary, and primary. Tertiary prevention, or intervention, helps those who have experienced abuse build resilience to its effects. Secondary prevention targets those who have more stressors in their lives – stressors that may make it harder to provide stability and safety to children. Primary prevention is about changing the conditions that lead to family overwhelm so that abuse and neglect never happen in the first place.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eWhat are some of those conditions? Lack of access to resources and knowledge. Isolation. Distrust of systems available to help. Social norms that promote hyper-independence and shame in asking for help. Unaddressed historical trauma. Economic instability and poverty.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThat’s a lot to change, but we can do it. And u003cstrongu003ethere’s never been a better time to do so.u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eI want to eradicate child abuse, and I know you do too. Though intervention is very important, we can’t intervene our way out of child abuse. We don’t want to only u003cemu003emanageu003c/emu003e the problem of child abuse, we want to get u003cemu003eahead of itu003c/emu003e so we can u003cemu003eend itu003c/emu003e. u003cstrongu003eEradication of child abuse and neglect requires primary prevention. u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThis year and beyond, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona is shifting our direction even more towards primary prevention, and specifically on u003cstrongu003echanging one big condition that affects child abuse and neglect: the way our society views struggling parents. u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eImagine a world in which parents ask for support when they need it, and they get that help. Imagine the nurtured, safe childhoods that world would produce.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThat world will be born when we agree to shift our culture from one that focuses largely on intervention and surveillance to one that focuses on supporting and strengthening families. We need to normalize that parenting is hard. We need to listen. We need to practice empathy, suspend our judgement, and partner with parents to get them what they say they need.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThat world is within our reach, and it starts with speaking this vision to action. People – you and me – are the creators of culture. In 2021 and beyond, we can each be the creators of a new culture – one in which we all participate in strengthening families and supporting parents. u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eP.S. Our recent acceptance to Round 2 of u003ca href=u0022https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/casey-foundation-partners-hope-to-redesign-child-welfare-systemu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eThriving Families, Safer Childrenu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e will help us and our partners work toward creating this world. We look forward to updating you on that work!u003c/pu003e
