April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, Prevent Child Abuse Newton encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Newton County a better place for families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills and resources they need to care for their children, we can help prevent child abuse and neglect by strengthening families and communities.

This April, Prevent Child Abuse Newton will join Prevent Child Abuse American in raising awareness for child abuse prevention. Throughout the month, our community will focus on a unified effort to identify and support factors that strengthen families so that children are less vulnerable to harm. Prevent Child Abuse will host a 5-K Walk/Run April 16 at The Church at Covington. This family festival will serve as another opportunity to raise awareness of services available to families in our community.

Research shows that five important factors are present in healthy families. Promoting these factors is among the most effective ways to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect. They are nurturing and attachment, knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development, parental resilience, social connections and concrete support for parents.

Individuals from all walks of life can, and must, take an active role in the work of child abuse prevention, investing in the well-being of all children is a sound investment. When families are healthy and strong, communities are healthy and strong. It's that simple."

To find more about building protective factors within families contact Sheena Berry at (678) 342-4004 or visit www.pcanewton.org.