Mercer County Children's Advocacy Center

Please select a Mobi Menu from the Menu Locations tab in order to make your header display as intended.

  • Awareness Blog
  • ChildLine: 1-800-932-0313
Mercer County Children's Advocacy Center
  • Home
  • About Mercer CAC
  • What to Expect
    • Forensic Interview Services
    • Medical Exams
    • Trauma Treatment
  • For Families and Children
    • What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
      • Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Myths and Facts About Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Recognize the Signs of Abuse and Neglect
    • What is Child Neglect?
      • Preventing Neglect
      • Recognize the Signs of Neglect and Emotional Maltreatment
      • Reporting Neglect
      • Responding to Neglect
    • What is Child Physical Abuse?
      • Preventing Physical Abuse
      • Recognize the Signs of Physical Abuse
      • Reporting Physical Abuse
      • Responding to Physical Abuse
    • What is Child Sexual Abuse?
      • Preventing Sexual Abuse
      • Recognize the Signs of Sexual Abuse
      • Reporting Sexual Abuse
      • Responding to Sexual Abuse
    • Keeping your Child Safe
      • Domestic Violence and Kids
  • Resources
    • Reading Resources
    • Resource Guide for Working with Adolescents
    • Talking To Your Children About Sexuality
    • What is Age-Appropriate?
    • What to DO if you Suspect a Child is Being Abused
  • Internet Safety
    • Abbreviations and Text Terms
    • Cyberbullying & Sextortion
    • Facebook- How to Keep My Child Safe
    • Instagram- How to Keep My Child Safe
    • Snapchat- How to Keep My Child Safe
    • Social Media Safety

Preventing Neglect

Homepage Preventing Neglect

Together we can prevent child neglect by identifying circumstances which put parents or caretakers under stress, and getting them the right help at the right time.  Preventing child neglect will take action from everyone – parents, communities and government – working together to help children thrive.

Neglect changes childhoods, but so can we.

blue hope ribbon

Parents under stress

Parents may be dealing with complex problems that directly impact on their ability to meet their children’s needs. These problems include:

  • domestic abuse
  • drugs and alcohol misuse
  • mental health problems

We also know that external factors, like financial problems and poor housing or homelessness can make it more difficult for parents’ to meet their children’s needs.

Building relationships to prevent neglect

By listening to children’s experiences and helping families create positive change, we can stop neglect and prevent it from reoccurring.

Giving children a voice

Building safe and trusting relationships with children is vital so they can speak out about their experience at home. This involves:

  • teaching children what neglect is and how they can get help
  • professionals providing parents and caregivers with good information and advice, emotional support and practical strategies that will minimize harm

group of teen friends

Empowering parents to make a positive change

Professionals can help to generate hope and confidence in families by giving them access to their own skills and resources by:

  • developing long-term positive relationships with parents and caregivers
  • using a model with a theory of change to provide structure and a purposeful approach for addressing neglect
  • taking time to understand a family’s needs

Enabling communities to support families

Communities have an important role to play in preventing and intervening early in child neglect. To make a difference, we need to make sure everyone in our communities can:

  • recognize the signs of child neglect
  • understand why it happens and what they can do to help
  • feel confident and supported to help
  • know how to find help if they are experiencing difficulties in their own family

Abuse-stop-child-abuse-28564872-765-540

 

  • For Families and Children
    • What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
    • What is Child Neglect?
    • What is Child Physical Abuse?
    • What is Child Sexual Abuse?
    • Keeping your Child Safe

Childline

Reporting Child Abuse
Call 800-932-0313
(TDD: 866-872-1677)

Search for More Information

Copyright ©2018 Mercer County CAC | 8406 Sharon-Mercer Road | Mercer, PA 16137 | (724) 662-1550 | Mercer Country BHC Inc
  • Home
  • About Mercer CAC
  • What to Expect
  • For Families and Children
  • Resources
  • Internet Safety
SearchPostsLogin
Monday, 2, May
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Monday, 2, May
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Monday, 2, May
May is National Family Month
Thursday, 31, Mar
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
Thursday, 31, Mar
Stand Up for Children
Thursday, 31, Mar
April is Autism Awareness Month

Welcome back,