April is Child Abuse Awareness month, a time to recognize that we can each play a part in promoting the social and emotional wellbeing of children and families of our community.  After all, child abuse and neglect is 100% preventable. Every year volunteers and advocates plant pinwheel gardens in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheel gardens are our promise to children that we are all working to make our community a safe and nurturing place for them and families to grow and flourish. Our pinwheel gardens are a great visible reminder to us all. Children hold the future [...]

Adult survivors of childhood trauma and child abuse share personal stories of recovery to help break down isolation and give hope and optimism. Read these stories here: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Survivors-Supporters/For-Survivors/Survivor-Stories

"Forgiveness is to me a paradox. Sometimes it seems like the penultimate step in moving on. Sometimes I think that forgiveness is more than abusers deserve. Sometimes I don’t know whom to forgive." Read Clare's story: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/narratives/clares-story

The following are real case studies which have been identified to protect the privacy of the children involved. Please take a moment to read how vulnerable lives can be turned around with the help of intensive therapy: https://www.actforkids.com.au/stories/

J. Smith submitted an account of being abused in foster homes and by his step-grandfather. "I have been through hell and I have seen some things that a child should never witness or experience at such a young age, but I have come to believe this: if you can live through the worst times of your life, you can live through anything. Your life is beautiful even if one person or many people try and take it from you. You will get days that you just want to give up but you don't, you keep on marching and moving forward. [...]

Director of APA's Violence Prevention Office Julia da Silva responds to a story of abusive parenting with advice for the daughter who doesn't want to harm her own children: "This is a very sad story of abusive parenting that could have been prevented if it was dealt with early on. This abusive mother used verbal and physical violence to express her anger and frustration. Those are emotions probably associated with situations that unfortunately had nothing to do with the daughter’s behaviors. This mother also failed her daughter when she neglected to pursue behavioral health treatment to help the girl deal [...]

Read about the brief lives and deaths of 110 Massachusetts children between 2009 and 2013 — a third of them under the watch of the Department of Children and Families: http://untold-stories.necir.org/

Last spring, Jack, along with his brother was placed in a Childhelp foster home. Jack came from a very chaotic and violent home setting, and brought a lot of past trauma and hurt, especially for someone so young; he was only seven years old. Jack showed his pain through his actions and behaviors. We could see it all over his face and how he carried himself. He could not make eye contact when speaking to others and would talk very quietly or not at all. He also had trouble in school controlling his emotions. Jack would yell, kick, hit, and [...]