April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and in Texas, the focus is on “Go Blue” campaigns and strengthening families through community support.
Prevention Tips for Parents and Communities
- Strengthen Parenting Skills: Use resources like GetParentingTips.com from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) for guidance on managing stress and understanding child development.
- Practice “Safe Talk”: Start conversations about safety early. Teach children that “private parts are private” and create an open environment where they feel safe sharing their feelings.
- Support Neighbors: Offer a helping hand to parents who seem overwhelmed. Simple acts like providing a “listening ear” or babysitting for a short break can reduce the family stress that sometimes leads to abuse.
- Educate on Digital Safety: Attend workshops like the Cyber Safety Workshop to learn about risks in apps and gaming platforms.
- Promote Prevention Programs like our Children’s Aid Society of West Texas offers a Teen Emergency Shelter which provides kids ages 10 to 17 with a basic care emergency shelter and assessment services. This program helps to defuse crisis situations, identify the problems that led to the crisis, and provide the family with coping skills, and encourage an environment in which the youth can mature into a reasonable content and responsible adult.
Our program provides:
– Basic Care Emergency Shelter
– Assessment Services
– Toll-Free Hotline
– Confidential Counseling (Individual, Group, Family, and After-Care)
– Community Education and Outreach
– Navigating the System
Individuals in our program will have access to:
– Advocacy /Case Management
– Food
– Clothing, School Supplies, Personal Items, and Toys
– Life and Social Skills Training
– Transportation
Admission to the Teen Shelter is voluntary, but often the result of a referral by a school, Juvenile Probation, CPS, the Police, or one of the 35
Safe Place sites in the area.
Call 940-322-7671 for Information
How to Get Involved in Texas
- Go Blue Day (Friday, April 10, 2026): Join thousands of Texans in wearing blue, the official color of prevention.
Attend Community Events:
- The Wichita Falls – Wichita County Public Health District is hosting the 2026 Annual Community
Health Fair on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Health District Main Campus. This year’s Public Health Week theme is “Lego: Building Blocks of Health.” Come dressed as your favorite Lego set theme! Our focus is engaging the public in a fun and educational environment, promoting healthy habits and well-being through interactive activities, games, and Lego-inspired initiatives. There is no registration for the public to attend. During the fair, we will provide information on services and resources for adults and children, free of charge. More details to come! - The Party for Prevention in Wichita Falls is an annual, free family event held in April to promote Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Typically featuring games, bounce houses, food, and community resources, the event aims to raise awareness of child abuse/neglect and support positive childhood experiences. Date: April 25, 2026 Time: Generally 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (based on previous years, 9:00 AM start noted in 2026 schedule) Focus: Child abuse prevention, community education, and resources
Reporting Suspected Abuse
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, Texas law requires you to report it.
- Texas Abuse Hotline: Call 1-800-252-5400 (available 24/7).
- Online Reporting: Use the secure Texas Abuse Hotline website for non-emergencies.
- Immediate Danger: Call 911 if a child is in an emergency or life-threatening situation.