April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. In reality, child protection is a year-round community issue and responsibility. That’s why Ray of Hope Advocacy Center is excited and honored to partner with the Examiner-Enterprise in launching a weekly column focusing on our community’s kids.
Our Friday column plans to cover it all – from fun child activities to legislation impacting our kids and from your responsibility in protecting children around you to childcare best practices.
Developing healthy children is at the center of everything Ray of Hope does. Sometimes that means providing an opportunity for healthy family interaction like our free h’ART of a Child event April 17th. Sometimes that means ensuring a child’s body is physically healthy following sexual or physical abuse. We relish the kids’ laughter and joy during the fun, but we never shy away from helping children in their darkest moments.
We believe the Bartlesville area can reflect a similar approach and our column plans to build on that belief. How many children do you know? We all see and interact with kids quite often – whether your own child, grandchild, niece or nephew or maybe a child in your neighborhood or church. Let’s make the Bartlesville area a place where we all experience the joy of a positive relationship with the children around us while not being afraid of the responsibility to protect them when needed. A community’s response to child abuse directly reflects the community’s compassion for the most innocent victims among us.