The COVID pandemic changed and strained families in the past year. As life looked so different for families and kids, as support and networks that were previously available diminished, there have been some intense consequences.
According to ReadyKids, over the past year, child and sexual abuse hotlines have reported significant increases in call and message volume, and emergency room physicians have reported seeing more severe child-abuse-related injuries than in a typical year. For the first time this past year, more than half of the visitors to the National Sexual Assault Hotline were minors. But it is believed that this troubling trends tells only part of the story.
As vulnerable children start to return to the public eye, ReadyKids, a nonprofit with over 100 years helping kids in Charlottesville and the surrounding areas, is trying to serve and reach those who face a long road ahead. And if you are someone who needs help or if you want to be part of the efforts to assist, ReadyKids has a welcoming way to meet you where you are.
Currently, ReadyKids is engaging in their annual awareness campaign, Pinwheels for Prevention.
"The ramifications of COVID have had a negative effect on the children and families in our community. Financial insecurity, unemployment, virtual schooling, inadequate childcare options and glaring inequities in our healthcare system have led to a quiet epidemic of abuse and neglect for children in Charlottesville and across the country. We urge all community members to join us in raising awareness during the month of April and to work together throughout the year to strengthen families and the systems that support them."
How to Have a Pinwheels for Prevention Garden:
Other Ways to Get Involved in Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Work:
Community members can donate financial support to ReadyKids programs here.
And ReadyKids has identified five simple ways to keep Charlottesville-area kids safe.
How to Get Help for Your Family or a Loved One:
According to Kristin Sancken, Communications Officer at ReadyKids, many people are hesitant to call Child Protective Services, because they are afraid it will launch a process that takes children away. However, the CPS Hotline also provides general information and educational materials about child abuse and neglect to anyone who has questions or concerns. CPS Hotline staff are trained to provide crisis counseling and intervention if needed, and can provide information and referral assistance to callers to locate prevention and/or treatment programs.
In Virginia, the CPS 24/7 Hotline is 1 (800) 552-7096. For help applying for basic needs assistance, health care assistance and child care assistance, visit commonhelp.virginia.
And, specifically, ReadyKids’ programs were created with the purpose to treat or prevent child abuse and neglect. Their most in-demand program is InsideOut Counseling which provides free-of-charge counseling to any child in the Charlottesville area who has experienced abuse or neglect, for as long as they need it.
As Sancken said, “We know parents are burnt out from being the only source of support for their kids throughout the pandemic… As the proverb says, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ As our community begins to open back up after vaccinations, parents will need their village more than ever to help recover from the prolonged stress of the pandemic.”
Whether we are the ones who need additional support at this challenging time, or whether we can provide additional support, let’s be the village. Together.
How to Connect with ReadyKids Charlottesville:
info@readykidscville.org
Phone: (434) 296-4118
Fax: (434) 295-2638
1000 East High Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Raising Charlottesville is a website dedicated to highlighting fun & local activities for families living in the Charlottesville, VA area.