04.23.26
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month!
A strong early childhood ecosystem is critical to preventing child abuse. Early childhood is a key moment in a family’s life, shaping both children and their caregivers. It’s a highly demanding period for parents who are learning to care for their young children while also likely to be just starting out and less financially secure. Parents are also more likely to be engaged with health and early childhood professionals, providing many access points to ensure they have the tools and resources to support strong foundations and keep children safe and nurtured. Preventing child abuse includes:
- Improving referrals and system navigation so struggling families can get what they need before they experience a crisis
- Expanding access to concrete supports families need, directly preventing maltreatment as well as reducing caregiver stress
- Incorporating lived experience in decision-making ensures that services are targeted directly to families’ needs, increasing engagement and effectiveness
- Expanding access to programs designed to prevent child maltreatment and keep children safely at home with their families
A growing body of evidence confirms the effectiveness of these efforts.
Families are learning what is available and being connected to the right services at the right time.
- The Help Me Grow Kansas website averaged 421 monthly views in 2025
- There were 717 active IRIS organizations in Kansas in 2025
- Total number of contacts with 1-800-CHILDREN increased from 1,078 in 2023 to 1,618 in 2024
Children and caregivers experience immediate positive effects as a result of program participation.
- Caregivers participating in Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) programs reported significant improvement in protective factors known to prevent child maltreatment, including:
- 31% improvement in family functioning and resilience
- 11% improvement in nurturing and attachment
- 27% improvement in social supports
- After completing services through Family First, children showed significant improvements in psychological and behavioral health. Parents reported significantly less stress, depression, anxiety, and substance use, and significantly more confidence in caregiving skills.
Programs successfully keep children safe with their families and prevent removal into foster care.
- Nearly 90% of children remain safely at home when their families receive Family First services and continue for 12 months post-referral.
- Participating in early childhood services significantly reduced the likelihood of removals into foster care by 28%.
- For every dollar invested in the Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) and CBCAP, Kansans reap an 11% return on investments by reducing economic burden in other systems.
To learn more about our early childhood system’s progress preventing child abuse, check out the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan Dashboard.
04.23.26
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month!
A strong early childhood ecosystem is critical to preventing child abuse. Early childhood is a key moment in a family’s life, shaping both children and their caregivers. It’s a highly demanding period for parents who are learning to care for their young children while also likely to be just starting out and less financially secure. Parents are also more likely to be engaged with health and early childhood professionals, providing many access points to ensure they have the tools and resources to support strong foundations and keep children safe and nurtured. Preventing child abuse includes:
- Improving referrals and system navigation so struggling families can get what they need before they experience a crisis
- Expanding access to concrete supports families need, directly preventing maltreatment as well as reducing caregiver stress
- Incorporating lived experience in decision-making ensures that services are targeted directly to families’ needs, increasing engagement and effectiveness
- Expanding access to programs designed to prevent child maltreatment and keep children safely at home with their families
A growing body of evidence confirms the effectiveness of these efforts.
Families are learning what is available and being connected to the right services at the right time.
- The Help Me Grow Kansas website averaged 421 monthly views in 2025
- There were 717 active IRIS organizations in Kansas in 2025
- Total number of contacts with 1-800-CHILDREN increased from 1,078 in 2023 to 1,618 in 2024
Children and caregivers experience immediate positive effects as a result of program participation.
- Caregivers participating in Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) programs reported significant improvement in protective factors known to prevent child maltreatment, including:
- 31% improvement in family functioning and resilience
- 11% improvement in nurturing and attachment
- 27% improvement in social supports
- After completing services through Family First, children showed significant improvements in psychological and behavioral health. Parents reported significantly less stress, depression, anxiety, and substance use, and significantly more confidence in caregiving skills.
Programs successfully keep children safe with their families and prevent removal into foster care.
- Nearly 90% of children remain safely at home when their families receive Family First services and continue for 12 months post-referral.
- Participating in early childhood services significantly reduced the likelihood of removals into foster care by 28%.
- For every dollar invested in the Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) and CBCAP, Kansans reap an 11% return on investments by reducing economic burden in other systems.
To learn more about our early childhood system’s progress preventing child abuse, check out the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan Dashboard.