"We all have a role to play in healthy child development and the prevention of child abuse. Coaches, teachers, babysitters and health care professionals work with children every day and already are working to move the country toward being a greater place for children.
But even if you don’t work with or around children, you still can have a positive effect on their lives.
If you have time in the afternoon, you could volunteer at after-school programs or help coach sports teams to ensure parents have a safe place for kids to go when they get out of school and before parents typically get home from work.
You could deliver a home-cooked meal to the family that just moved in around the corner or offer to babysit one night for a single parent who lives down the road. You can contact your local legislator or advocate for family-friendly policies and prevention programs, such as Healthy Families America.
You also can donate time or money to local organizations, such as Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, that are focused on prevention.
By taking the time to volunteer for before- or after-school programs, offering to help families in your own neighborhood, or working to ensure that programs proven to prevent child abuse continue to be funded, you can have a meaningful effect on the lives of children throughout the community.
Actions like these help bring together communities, reduce isolation and help children and families succeed by providing them with tools and resources for optimal development."
