Children need the protection of their government as the number of maltreatment deaths increase
As part of a campaign to stop child abuse and neglect deaths, National Children's Alliance and its partners – the Every Child Matters Education Fund, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National District Attorneys Association – are running ads that urge Congress to address the fatalities that claim the lives of innocent children every day. Specifically, the advertisements ask Congress to hold hearings and provide emergency funds to stop state cuts in child protective services. The advertisements will run in Roll Call, The Hill and Politico. The ultimate goal is to compel legislators to bring the national attention and federal resources to bear on what has become a national tragedy.
In addition to placing ads and delivering the recommendations, the four partnering organizations will urge their constituents to contact members of Congress and let them know that stopping child maltreatment deaths should be a top priority.
"As the national association of Child Advocacy Centers, we understand how imperative it is for Congress to recognize and act on this national crisis. These numbers are staggering and if we don't mobilize as a country, our children will continue to suffer," remarked Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of the National Children's Alliance.
According to We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America, a report released in October, 2009, nearly five children die in America every day from abuse or neglect. Federal data shows that 10,440 children in the U.S. died from abuse and neglect between 2001 and 2007, but experts say the real number may be as many as 5,000 higher. A weak economy and resulting state budget cuts are putting even more children at risk, as evidenced by the multitude of newspaper stories from across America that link an increase in child abuse to the worsening recession. To see a compendium of these stories, entitled "The Growing Crisis in Child Protection," click here.
During the Summit on Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths last October that followed the release of the report, more than 100 child welfare stakeholders from across the country met to discuss strategies and tactics for combating child abuse and neglect and for shoring up a child protection system that is stretched too thin. Following are recommendations resulting from those discussions.