April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. PCAV spearheads activities and educational endeavors on behalf of Virginia every April to raise awareness about abuse and neglect and to encourage positive parenting. Featured on this page are some of the materials we distribute and initiatives we lead during the month. A list of our sponsors, for whom PCAV is grateful, is also provided.

Celebrating Child Abuse Prevention Month

1. Pinwheels for Prevention
2. Blue Ribbon Campaign
3. 2010 Prevention Packet Materials
4. Prevention Month Partners

Prevent Child Abuse Virginia (PCAV) is proud to introduce the pinwheel as a new symbol for child abuse prevention. Every April, PCAV and many of its partner organizations across the state plant pinwheel gardens in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. We invite you to visit PCAV's Pinwheels for Prevention display at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County during the month of April. The display is included with regular admission and features more than 3,000 pinwheels "planted" along a lake in the Children's Garden. Each pinwheel represents a child who has been served by PCAV's Healthy Families Virginia program during the previous year in Central Virginia and Tidewater.

PCAV invites you to purchase pinwheels in April to honor the children in your life. Give them to children, or to child advocates in your community as a gift. Or plant a garden in your front yard, at your church or school, or in front of a business or community building. Pinwheels may be purchased for $2 each by calling (804) 359-6166 ext. 309 or emailing shadams@pcav.org. Group rates are available for bulk orders and nonprofit organizations. All proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.

If you're interested in planting a pinwheel garden in April 2010, during Child Abuse Prevention Month, please contact us at shadams@pcav.org to order your supply of pinwheels.

During April, churches, schools, businesses, individuals and PCAV's partner organizations throughout the state serve as Pinwheel Partners by distributing pinwheels to their children or other young relatives, to friends or colleagues, and by planting pinwheel gardens.

PCAV Pinwheel Partners Have Included:

• Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond
• Java Jodi's Café, Goochland
• Capital One's FAST Team, Richmond
• Ft. Eustis - Army Community Services, Ft. Eustis
• Parish Day School, Virginia Beach
• Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Richmond
• Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Virginia Beach
• Franklin Department of Social Services
• Fort Lee

In Virginia, the blue ribbon is a symbol of the need for everyone to be the best they can be when it comes to the wellbeing of children. The blue ribbon campaign is also a memorial to children who have been touched by abuse and neglect. PCAV's blue ribbon campaign sends a positive message, through phrases such as "Be a blue ribbon family." or "Make yours a blue ribbon community."

Tips on displaying blue ribbons:
Blue ribbons are often distributed attached to bookmarks. Some tie ribbons on car antennas or use them as bows for door or window decorations during April. A dark royal blue color ribbon is typically used. For use with bookmarks, a 1/2'' or 5/8'' width cut into 7'' segments works very well.

PCAV's Blue Ribbon Pin:

Blue ribbon pins are now available for purchase for $5 each. Please call (804) 359-6166 ext. 309 to order one today. All proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.

---

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to work with these documents. You can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the link above.

1. Read Me First
2. Survey
3. Fact Sheet
4. Moments in VA
5. Proclamation
6. Sample Media Release
7. Recognizing Child Abuse
8. Prevention Training Resources
9. Mini Poster
10. Soothing Your Baby's Cries
11. Communicating With Your Child
12. Help Your Child Succeed in School
13. Parenting Wisely and Well
14. Understanding Technology
15. Self-Care for Busy Parents
16. Parenting Together While Living Apart
17. Never Shake a Baby...
18. Nurturing Your Young Child (Birth to Age 3)
19. Nurturing Your Young Child (Age 3 to Age 5)
20. Nurturing Your Young Child (Age 5 to Age 8)
21. Loving your Tween
22. Grooming Your Teen for Independence
23. Building Confident Kids
24. Safety First
25. Keeping Older Children Safe
26. Decision-Making 101
27. Resolving Conflicts
28. Help Your Child Survive (or Stop) Bullying
29. Coping with Change
30. Raising a Child with Special Needs
31. Leaving Your Child Home Alone
32. Make Kids Count
33. What Influences Child Abuse and Neglect?
34. Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse
35. What to do if a Child Reports Abuse

Prevention Packet Materials from prior years are available here.

Spreading the wording about positive parenting in a manner that helps prevent child abuse and neglect requires the support of many. PCAV is grateful for the following individuals, media partners and sponsors for their continuous support.

• Former Virginia First Lady Anne Holton
• Bryant Stith, retired NBA player and youth advocate
• Comcast Cable
• WTVR Channel 6
• Keith-Fabry Reprographic Solutions
• Holiday Inn, Staples Mill
• Graphic Presentations
• Lamar Advertising
• Virginia Business Magazine
• Willow Lawn Chick-Fil-A
• Krispy Kreme
• Trader Joe’s – Short Pump
• Willow Lawn Starbucks
• A Small Comfort
• Mark Preston/Preston Art
• Ledo’s Pizza – Willow Lawn
• Jay Paul / JayPaulPhoto.com

If your company or organization is interested in partnering with PCAV during Child Abuse Prevention Month, please contact Stacy at shadams@pcav.org or (804) 359-6166, ext. 309.

Back to top