On Friday, Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs officially proclaimed the month of April 2021 “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of Cullman. In the proclamation, Jacobs challenged all residents to get involved in the fight against child abuse and neglect and to “take on the risk of improving the quality of life for all children and families in our community.”

On hand to accept the proclamation were representatives from Cullman Caring for Kids, Cullman Child Advocacy Center, Cullman County Department of Human Resources, and the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force.

“We can all play a role in helping to prevent child abuse and neglect,” said Jacobs. “We all need to know the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, and be willing to report suspected cases to the proper authorities.”

In children, signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect may include:

Sudden changes in behavior or school performance;

Not receiving help for physical or medical problems;

Learning problems or difficulty concentrating that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes;

Showing extremes in behavior such as being overly withdrawn, compliant, passive, or watchful as though preparing for something bad to happen OR being overly demanding or aggressive;

Lacking adult supervision;

Coming to school or other activities early, staying late, and/or not wanting to go home;

Being either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (rocking or head-banging, for example);

Exhibiting delayed physical or emotional development;

Having unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes;

Having fading bruises or other marks noticeable after a school absence;

Seeming frightened of the parents or other adults

If you do suspect a child is being harmed, reporting your suspicions may protect the child and get help for the family. For information about where and how to file a report in Cullman, contact local law enforcement (Cullman Police Department – 256-734-1434 | Cullman County Sheriff’s Office – 256-775-4700 | Hanceville Police Department – 256-352-9811) or the Cullman County Department of Human Resources (256-737-5300). You may also contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4ACHILD (800-422-4453).

Also, by ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can prevent child abuse and neglect by creating strong and thriving children, youth, and families in our community. Research shows that protective factors are present in healthy families. Protective factors are conditions or attributes of individuals, families, communities, or the larger society that mitigate risk and promote healthy development and wellbeing.

“Cullman is fortunate to have people and organizations who work to bring awareness to this issue and who help children and families dealing with abuse and neglect,” said Jacobs. “Cullman Caring for Kids, Brooks’ Place, Cullman County CASA, DHR, and others do a great job of providing these much-needed services in Cullman and throughout Cullman County.”