Child Protection is Everyone’s Responsibility
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. During this month, government agencies, community groups, and churches are encouraged to work together to share child-abuse and neglect prevention strategies and promote the well-being of children and families.
The responsibility of caring for and protecting children to ensure that they are in safe environments at home, at school, in our neighborhoods, and at church, belongs to each of us as a matter of charity and justice. For its part the Archdiocese of Washington has long been strongly committed to child safety in the Church and throughout society.
Now as part of that effort, the archdiocese has produced a series of innovative online videos to raise awareness of the evil of abuse of children and what we can do about it. This series is intended for all members of the community. The videos also enhance other existing safe environment training programs that archdiocesan employees and volunteers who work with children are required to take.
The video above is my introduction to the series and I invite you to view it and share it with others. To easily view subsequent videos when they are released each month, you may also choose to subscribe to our YouTube channel, WashArchdiocese.
The archdiocese has also developed a series of safety resources for parents, including advice on Internet safety, healthy teen relationships, and bullying. To view these tips and strategies, and to share them with others, please visit the Office of Child and Youth Protection website here.
Being most vulnerable, our young people need us to care for them and protect them from harm. Child Abuse Prevention Month calls all of us to be vigilant in helping to provide a safe environment for all children and to help those who are victims of abuse find healing.