The goal of Prevention Services is to strengthen families by ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of its children. These services are designed to:
- Prevent the occurrence (or reoccurrence) of child abuse/neglect from any caretaker
- Prevent out of home care (including the prevention of foster care)
- Target population
- Degree of trauma experienced by the child and family
- Level of intervention by LDSS
- Families who identify their problems and seek help through prevention are more likely to benefit quickly from services and their children are less likely to be at risk of abuse and neglect and out-of-home care
- Early involvement with the family reduces the likelihood of abuse and neglect occurring, maintains permanency for the child in their family, and preserves sibling groups
- Strength-based family engagement approaches empower family members and increase their opportunity to be self-sufficient
- Training and education in the areas of parents' understanding of child development, behavior management, stress management, attachment, and nurturing reduces negative behavior problems and family conflict and improves family relationships
Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Annually the governor designates April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Virginia. Individuals and organizations in Virginia and across the United States mark the month with public awareness efforts and by distributing and planting blue pinwheels, the national symbol for child abuse prevention.
Child abuse and neglect is the cause of more than 1,700 deaths each year in the United States. What can you do to save a child from abuse, neglect, and death?
Packet Materials
Calendar of Child Abuse Prevention Month Events
| Event | Discription | Location | LDSS | Date | Time | Point of Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Supervisors Proclamation of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month | Signs to accompany pinwheel gardens, bookmarks with "words matter" - phrases of affirmation for kids, bus advertisements in English and Spanish advertising our Parent Support Line | Fairfax County Board Auditorium, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA | Fairfax County | 3/22/2022 | 9:00 AM | Allison.lowry@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Child Abuse Prevention Event | Planting Pinwheels, Printing prevention materials, Hosting a Child Abuse Prevention Event, Providing blue ribbons to local agencies and businesses. | James City County Recreation Center | James City County Department of Social Services | 3/25/2022 | 6:00 PM | juliet.heishman@jamescitycountyva.gov |
| Vendor at the Lunenburg County Health & Wellness Fair | Public awareness materials(brochures ,pamphlets, bookmarks) participation in the Lunenburg Health & Wellness Fair, distribution of awareness packs to local doctors & hospitals for child abuse prevention month, yard sign & pinwheel garden in front of agency to promote prevention activities, purchase of child abuse prevention shirts for staff to wear every Friday in April. | Victoria Elementary & Kenbridge Elementary School | Lunenburg | 3/25/2022 | 9:00 AM | dorothy.newcomb@dss.virginia.gov/lisa.nagorsky@dss.virginia.gov |
| WE WILL SET UP A DISPLAY IN THE MAIN TOWN IN OUR COUNTY TO PROMOTE CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS. | Pinwheels Distribution, Banner to display in public sight, T-shirt for staff with child abuse awareness to be worn each friday during month of April | TOWN OR MARION | Smyth County DSS | 4/1/2022 | 10:00 AM | a.bise@dss.virginia.gov |
| Child Protection Partnership yearly luncheon | training for staff and the community; purchase pin wheels and blue ribbons; partner with MC/PWC for annual event; purchase flyers | Manassas Park Community Center | Manassas Park | 4/1/2022 | 11:00 AM | Randi.Knights@dss.virginia.gov |
| Every Child Matters | We are going to provide ice cream to all the students in our jurisdiction, and set up a day where non students can come to the agency for ice cream. We will have posters and such about information pertaining to abuse and neglect and contact information in case the children or other persons in the community need to contact us about a situation. | These events will be different days so we can reach each child | Radford City | 4/1/2022 | 11:00 AM | amber.quinney@dss.virginia.gov |
| Child Abuse Prevention Month Parade | We will kick off the month with a Parade down High Street to bring awareness to the Community and hand out flyers. CPS Workers will wear Blue Child Awareness shirts. Each week the agency will focus on a different high risk area to provide them with resources. Some of the resources that we will hand out are gun locks, safe sleep information, and coloring books/crayons. We will create a flyer to post on social media and to hand out to the local schools. We are contacting HRT to see about getting the bus that runs down High Street wrapped with Child Abuse Prevention Month activities. We will purchase Pinwheels to place in front of the agency and in the communities we service the most. Each parent that participate will be place in a drawing to win four passes to the Children's Museum. We will also do a community event during Spring Break to provide resources to families. | It will start at PDSS and end at Water St. | Portsmouth Department of Social Services | 4/1/2022 | 10:00 AM | arlene.taborn@dss.virginia.gov |
| "Planting" our pinwheel garden (weather permitting); Wearing Blue | Our agency will be "planting" a pinwheel garden, distributing awareness buckets w/child abuse awareness and prevention; pinwheels, bracelets, pens, bookmarks, child praise magnets, prevention tip cards, buttons and misc. info sheets, gift card and family focused activities, to local schools, businesses and organizations throughout the county. | Amherst DSS | Amherst Co Dept. of Social Services | 4/1/2022 | 1:00 PM | frances.patton@dss.virginia.gov |
| Champions for Children fundraiser, Pinwheel Garden(s), distributing items to local groups, businesses, etc. | Pinwheel gardens with banners at focal points in the county and another platform for thanking sponsors, lapel pins or similar items to distribute to community partners in recognition of the month, Champion for Children campaign as a fundraiser, we previously put on a 5-K Race however this year we are not having the 5-K but hope to resume in future years | in the community | Fauquier County DSS | 4/1/2022 | 8:00 AM | barbara.crowling@dss.virginia.gov / gabrielle.winningham@dss.virginia.gov.winningham |
| CHALK IT UP ! | In effort to reconnect with the community and those who are invested in child welfare we have multiple events planned. These include planting a pinwheel garden with community partners and providing lunch to promote a joint and collaborate effort in child abuse prevention. We would like to purchase three jumbo pinwheels to represent the three localities and have representatives from that law enforcement agency plant thiers. We would like to unite the jurisdictions as they do not all have adequate outdoor areas of their own to support a pinwheel garden. Traditionally the prevention pinwheels are blue and uniformly and strategically planted. The pinwheel garden that we put together last year was a display of donated pinwheels and ones from previous years. The display took on a lot of excitement as each day it would grow larger and more diverse with the continued donation of various Pinwheels. The result was a one of a kind eye catching display to say the least. The diversity in the pinwheels made for a rainbow of colors and shapes and heights and sizes and the sound was amazing as well. The children and the families that we serve are equally as original and unique with their individual strengths and experiences. We are planning a community outreach day at the end of the month to include free children's ice cream cones - child abuse prevention information and to announce the winner of a tri-jurisdictional family engagement activity/contest. The object of the Contest is to submit an original photo ("Entry") that showcases your best "pinwheel" sidewalk chalk art display. We hope to have many family oriented prize. Included with the chalk will be information on local family activities and outings. The chalk contest will be throughout the month. We are planning on joining with the Valley Children Advocacy Center to host a child abuse prevention family ice cream outing at a local business who are making blue ice cream for child abuse awareness at our request. We plan on handing out information, booklets, toys, etc to the community and providing free ice cream tokens for the children. | TBD | Shenandoah Valley Social Services | 4/1/2022 | TBD | amber.martino@dss.virginia.gov |
| Franklin Child Abuse Prevention Expo | We are collaborating with the Franklin Police Dept. and Fire & Rescue Dept. to host a Child Abuse Prevention month activity on April 2, 2022. We will have a variety of family activities/games in addition to car seat inspections as well as a limited amount of free car seats for distribution. We will also be focusing on providing information to families about handling conflict in the home, schools, and community settings, safe sleep for infants, hot car safety, and providing positive discipline. We will be engaging community partners to put up pin wheels through out the city as symbols of prevention. | Armory Field, Franklin, VA 23851 | Franklin City Department of Social Services | 4/2/2022 | 1:00 PM | s.rexrode@dss.virginia.gov |
| Northumberland County Resource Fair | The elementary school is going to make a large pinwheel garden with approximately 500 pinwheels. We are also purchasing Child abuse prevention coloring pages and crayons for each student. They will display the art work throughout the month of April. | Northumberland YMCA | Northumberland | 4/2/2022 | 9:00 AM | jackie.clayton@dss.virginia.gov |
| Pinwheels posted throughout the community, we share the building with the school board so we will be providing materials for the school to distribute | Two child abuse prevention 250 piece value packs; pinwheels will be placed throughout the community; along with providing the other materials to community members. | Carroll County Complex Hillsville VA | Carroll County | 4/4/2022 | 9:00 AM | teresa.isom@dss.virginia.gov |
| Light Grayson Blue | Lighting our courthouse up "Blue" along with a complete Media Blitz, Newspaper, Radio, Social Media Releases, pinwheel garden as well as a major event planned on main street to be covered with blue ribbons, blue pinwheels and banner hung across the main street. Community partners will come together to hold a community awareness Candlelight vigil and turn on the lights of the court house....Blue! | Grayson County Courthouse | Grayson County Dept. of Social Services | 4/4/2022 | 7:00 PM | k.shumate@dss.virginia.gov |
| Community Pinwheel Planting | Host a community event to Plant Pinwheels, Put signs & Posters up. Distribute Swag...ie pins, cups, etc... | Albemarle County Office Building 5th Street | Albemarle County DSS | 4/4/2022 | 9:30 AM | amicklem@albemarle.org |
| Planting a Pinwheel Garden | plant a pinwheel gardens, public awareness activities at area homeless shelters, distribute printed material , utilize social media to share prevention resources, fitness event (walk), Wear Blue Day, PWC County Rocks (rock painting event), displays in the community, Go Blue Day giveaways | AJ McCoart Building | Prince William County Department of Social Services | 4/5/2022 | 1:15 PM | tmwilson@pwcgov.org |
| Child Abuse Prevention Board Presentation | Child Abuse Prevention Presentation to the entire FCDSS staff, the FCDSS Board, and the Board of Supervisors with promotional and informational items being distributed. Distribute pinwheels, signs, and literature. | Fluvanna Preforming Arts Center | Fluvanna County | 4/6/2022 | 4:00 PM | RoShelle.Reed@dss.virginia.gov |
| We love our kids | We have a community event scheduled on April 7th with other community partners in downtown Christiansburg. We will be working with CASA, NRVCares, our CAC, NRVCS, and local law enforcement. We will have kid stations, community resources, and spring goodie bags | Downtown Christiansburg | Montgomery | 4/7/2022 | 2:00 PM | kelly.edmonson@dss.virginia.gov |
| 10th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Golf Tournament | Pinwheel Gardens and Golf Tournament to raise awareness to Child Abuse Prevention | Cypress Cove Country Club Franklin, VA 23851 | Southampton Department of Social Services | 4/9/2022 | 10:00 AM | donna.blythe@dss.virginia.gov |
| To share information regarding CPS prevention during an Easter parade in the community, Wear blue in the Government building for County employees. | An event in collaboration with Parks and Recreation to include but not limited to family centered outdoor activities where information regarding CPS will be distributed and to possibly have a speaker. Children will plant a pinwheel garden and adults will wear blue ribbons. Also, if funding allows, an additional activity will be held for mandated reporters such as the Sheriff's Department and the School System. | Within the town limits across from the Government Building. | Surry Department of Social Service | 4/9/2022 | 10:00 AM | valerie.pierce@dss.viginia.gov |
| No excuse for child about...Break the silence in Buchanan 5K Walk/Run | Buchanan County DSS will be hosting an information session and 5K walk/run with fun activities for the kids and live entertainment as well as food and drink. | Grundy, VA Start location at Buchanan County Courthouse | Buchanan County DSS | 4/9/2022 | 9:00 AM | bridgett.mcgraw@dss.virginia.gov |
| Agency Staffing on Child Abuse Prevention, safe sleep and reporting suspected abuse including inviting staff and law-enforcement. | We pass out Blue Ribbons and Pinwheels ( hope to get from this unit). We meet with other organizations and given them blue ribbons and pinwheels and brochures and other information. We have in the past attended events with towns and passed out this material not only during child abuse month but at other times. We hold trainings with schools and other entities, such as law-enforcement and buy refreshments. All done for awareness. | DSS | Mecklenburg County DSS | 4/11/2022 | 12:00 PM | Sandra.gregory@dss.virginia.gov |
| Pinwheels for Prevention Garden | Newport News Department of Human Services plans to host our 13th Annual Pinwheels for Prevention Garden. This pinwheel garden displays over a 1,000 blue and silver pinwheels along with approximately 15 colorful 4 to 5 foot silhouettes of children playing and signs that have positive parenting tips. The pinwheel garden will be displayed in front of our main community center on Jefferson Avenue during the month of April. As community members drive by, they will be able to see the signs that remind parents and caregivers to do things like "Hug Your Child," "Read a Book with Your Child," "Talk with Your Child," "Eat Together as a Family," and they will see the pinwheels to remind them that April is child abuse prevention month. | Midtown Community Center, Newport News, VA 23605 | Newport News Department of Human Services | 4/11/2022 | 9:00 AM | maynardtl@nnva.gov |
| Community Child Safety | Pinwheel gardens will be located at Culpeper DSS, Kid Central ( is a Daycare), Head Start, Early Head Start, Culpeper Full Circle Thrift and Downtown Culpeper. Refreshments and giveaways will be at Culpeper DSS on April 13th. Refreshments and giveaways at Full Circle Thrift, a thrift store started by Social Services to help Culpeper, Saturday, April 9th. On the 9th we will have car seat checks, McGruff the Crime Prevention dog, create a child ID, Pinwheel coloring sheets, flyers with contact numbers, Safe Sleep information, how to ID Child Abuse or Neglect, and How to praise your child. Raffle prizes. Invite local newspapers to events. | Culpeper Human Services office | Culpeper Human Services | 4/13/2022 | 10:00 AM | sarah.berry@dss.virginia.gov |
| Every Child Matters: It's Your Turn to Make a Difference | Pinwheels to cover agency lawn, Agency community event to include public awareness materials, educational opportunity for the community/speaking engagement | Alleghany County DSS | Alleghany County DSS | 4/15/2022 | 12:00 PM | r.morgan@dss.virginia.gov |
| We will be having a Blue T-Shirt Day at the office and have cupcakes | Display child abuse prevention materials in schools, share parenting materials to families, display child abuse information in work place, and provide local businesses with pinwheels. | RUSSELL COUNTY DSS | Russell County Department of Social Services | 4/21/2022 | 8:00 AM | elizabeth.vance@dss.virginia.gov |
| Child Abuse Awareness Jubilee | Child Abuse/Neglect Awareness Jubilee- An event that will include vendors from the community that can provide services to local families. Examples include safe sleep, Budget classes, WIC, Heath Department, Parenting information, Reaching Out Now (mentoring) Phoenix Project and the local Police Department. Parks and Rec as well as other who represent youth activities. We will have face painting, balloon maker, bouncy house and refreshments. | 415 West 15th Street (football field) | Warren County Department of Social Services | 4/23/2022 | 11:00 AM | christina.lawson@dss.virginia.gov |
| Paint the Town for Child Abuse Awareness | Child Abuse Prevention Community Event | to be determined | Wise County Dept of Social Services | 4/23/2022 | 1:00 PM | Tiffany.Sanders@dss.virginia.gov |
| Our event will be title: Child Abuse Prevention Pinic | Cookout and community awareness event | Local park. | Shenandoah County Department of Social Services | 4/23/2022 | 11:00 AM | courtni.mather@dss.virginia.gov |
| Child Abuse Prevention walk and parade | Community Awareness Public Gathering ...The Brunswick Co. DSS will provide educational information and tools for parents to be able to engage with their children. The gathering will have different tables with flyers, handouts, games, fun facts and other opportunities for members in the community to answer questions and win prizes. Brunswick DSS will invite other agencies, churches, organizations and business partners to participate. Fun activities will be provided for the children and parents will have an opportunity to learn valuable information about preventing child abuse/neglect, child safety, and the effects of trauma. There will be activities for all family members to enjoy and participate in. Presentations will be made about the history of child abuse prevention month and why it is significant. Food will be served also. | The parade will start at the agency and walkers will parade around the town with signs and posters. | Brunswick Co. Dept. of Social Services | 4/27/2022 | 1:00 PM | valerie.burke025@dss.virginia.gov |
| A Blue Ribbon Evening of Family Fun and Learning | we plan to have a community event to provide education and awareness to safe sleep, child abuse/neglect prevention, gun safety. We will be inviting community partners to participate to provide information as well as activities to engage families and children. We will also display pinwheel gardens at our local schools and parks as part of awareness. We will distribute blue ribbon pins to our board of supervisors, dss board, and other community leaders. | Berryville Park | Clarke County Social Services | 4/28/2022 | 4:00 PM | Jennifer.l.parker@dss.virginia.gov |
| Drug Abuse Awareness and Prevention | We are partnering with Weber City First Baptist Church, Scott County Sheriffs Department and Virginia State Police to provide a drug awareness training for DSS staff, community partners and any community members wishing to attend. There is a contest for our yearly Child Abuse Prevention T-shirt and this will be revealed at the training. We will provide lunch from Chick-fil-A and a T-shirt. The Church will recognize the DSS staff through announcing their year long initiative of - Adopt a Social Worker. Through this church members will have a specific staff member they support all year through random acts of kindness, notes of support and prayer. We will also have a pin wheel garden at the Courthouse, blue ribbons and provide informational material to the community. | Weber City First Baptist Church | Scott County DSS | 4/28/2022 | 10:00 AM | lana.r.mullins@dss.virginia.gov |
| Child Abuse Awareness | Family Fun evening at the local Farmers Market with planned activities | TBD | Franklin County DSS | 4/30/2022 | 4:00 PM | anita.turner@dss.virginia.gov |
| King George Family Day | We are hosting a Family Day in collaboration with KG Parks and Rec and KG High School. | King George High School | King George DSS | 4/30/2022 | 10:00 AM | latoya.lyburn@dss.virginia.gov |
| We are in the process of outreach to see if there is an interest from community partners in hosting a Fun Day event. | There are several activities that we are looking into. Possibly hosting a Fun Day event for the families we serve to gain knowledge of local resources and enjoy activities and food with their family. Outreach through billboards. Possibly other community outreach through local businesses and organizations. Contacting local news about stats and resources that are available. | Bristol Virginia Department of Social Services | Bristol Virginia Department of Social Services | 4/30/2022 | 11:00 AM | Megan.Hunt@dss.virginia.gov |
| Sperryville Day | Participating in a community day with a booth distributing abuse prevention awareness brochures and kid goody bags; information will include positive methods of praise and discipline, agency services. | Sperryville, Va | Rappahannock Co | 4/30/2022 | 9:00 AM | gail.a.crooks@dss.virginia.gov |
| Community Resource Fair "Connecting Families and Communities Together" | Our agency is holding a Community Resource Fair in conjunction with our local Parks & Recreation Department on May 21st. The theme is "Connecting Families and Communities Together". We will have vendors present that serve our locality to provide information on what they offer. Also, our agency will be giving out information regarding child abuse prevention awareness. | Charles City County Government Administration Building | Charles City County DSS | 5/21/2022 | 10:00 AM | e.holt@dss.virginia.gov |
| Pinwheel Planting at Fred Nats Stadium | Planting pinwheels with local community partners, presence at Fredericksburg Nationals Stadium, collaboration with local Donut Shop for awareness donut. School collaboration about safety. | Fred Nats Stadium | Fredericksburg | TBD | TBD | shelby.oermann@dss.virginia.gov |
| The Department will be completing mandated reporter training for school personnel. | The Department will participate in a joint community event to help educate the public about recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. The Department will also plant pinwheel gardens throughout the community focusing on areas where the Department receives multiple complaints and where children and families frequent. | Matthew Whaley Elementary School | Williamsburg DHS | TBD | TBD | DeAnna.Valentine@dss.virginia.gov |
| Pinwheel Garden Planting & Ceremony | Pinwheel gardens across City, Pinwheel garden and ceremony at City Hall, Employee Walk for Prevention, disseminate information on healthy child development, parenting | Norfolk City Hall | Wong | TBD | TBD | pamela.wong@norfolk.gov or xaviera.evans@norfolk.gov |
| Community Fair | We are planning to host a community fair to share information about child abuse prevention and other resources that are available to support families. We are looking to partner with other departments within the City in information sharing. | TBD | Tamara Temoney-Porter | TBD | TBD | tamara.temoney1@dss.virginia.gov |
