April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

April is Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month at BCCS. BCCS Lancaster will be hosting several events in an effort to raise awareness about child abuse and child abuse resources in Delaware.

April 5th – Child Abuse Awareness Kickoff!
BCCS Counselors will be in the lobby and dispensing areas, handing out resources for parents and kids, such as bookmarks, ribbons, and tattoos. Counselors will also provide clients with a schedule outlining the different activities that will take place throughout the month.

April 12th, 9 AM to Noon - Release for Recovery
BCCS Outreach Department will be hosting a "Release for Recovery" Day. Come in and pamper yourself. Paint your nails, give yourself a facial. Bring the kids and pamper them as well. All items will be provided by BCCS.

April 19th, 9 AM to 1 PM - Get Informed!
We will have educators from different agencies in Delaware come and present information on child abuse and how kids are affected. Please see a schedule.

April 26th, 10 AM to 1 PM - Children's Celebration: A blue ribbon day for kids
Luncheon sponsored by BCCS along with arts and crafts activities for clients and their children. We will have volunteers from various local agencies to assist.

A Clothesline of Love for Parents and Children

Child-sized T-shirts, bibs, and hats, colorfully decorated with messages of love, line the hallway today at BCI Lancaster. The clothesline was part of today’s Children's Celebration, A Blue Ribbon Day for Kids. Clients and their children enjoyed arts and crafts activities and lunch.

The event concluded BCI's month-long celebration of Child Abuse Awareness Month. Other April activities included handouts of information in the waiting room, “Release for Recovery” with nail painting and facials, and a “Get Informed” workshop on Delaware’s resources on child abuse.

In addition to having fun with the art project, today’s participants took away more useful information. “We’re giving out the Child Abuse 800 number they can call,” said Needle Exchange Coordinator Rochelle Booker (pictured above). “Also, we have pamphlets on child abuse and neglect prevention; when a child discloses abuse, how to report it; sexual abuse; and recognizing child abuse – the definition and warning signs.”

The Diamond State Roller Girls stopped by to help out with the event and donated some art supplies. “We like to support anything in the community that’s beneficial, especially that has to do with kids,” said Clinical Supervisor and roller girl Domenica Personti. “We actually have about 7 girls who are all in recovery. So it’s very close to them. A few of them said they wish things like this were taking place when they were getting their lives together, so they could do things with their kids in a safe environment.”

Below, members of our outreach team display some of the artwork created.