April 23, 2024 (Wright County)
April, Child Abuse Prevention Month, is a time dedicated to the well-being of our youngest members of society. In an interview with local advocates from Building Families — Angela Wesselink, Parent Coordinator, and Tiffany Larson, Coordinator for the Bee Inspired program — the Wright County Monitor explores some misconceptions, challenges, and hopes surrounding the sensitive topic.
Building Families is a non-profit that provides funding and support to quality programs and services in Hamilton, Humboldt, and Wright County. Their goal is to develop healthy, independent, and successful children and families.
When asked what her goal is as a parent coordinator, Wesselink shared a clever analogy most Iowans can understand, “Every family has their chili recipe. Every once in a while someone else suggests a new ingredient. Sometimes that ingredient works and sometimes it doesn’t. Our programs offer evidence-based ingredients.” Wesselink and Larson agreed that if we want children to succeed, their parents and caregivers need to succeed, too.
The leading issue, as reported by Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, remains child neglect. Roughly 35,000 investigations conducted annually are involving child neglect.
One prevalent misconception is the notion that investing in child welfare is costly. In reality, investing in children's well-being early on is far more economical than addressing the consequences of neglect or abuse in adulthood. Wesselink and Larson emphasize the importance of nurturing every child's potential, and the vital role that even just one supportive adult can play in a child's life.
Encouraging individuals and communities to actively engage in preventing child abuse by encouraging education on evidence-based research is the basis of Building Families' mission.
Facing the taboo surrounding sexual abuse, Wesselink acknowledged the difficulty in discussing and reporting sexual abuse cases. “Sexual abuse is not something people like to talk about and it is under-reported. Most adults who are trafficked in adulthood were sexually assaulted in childhood. Just teaching your children the right name of their body parts is a simple thing that can prevent them from being preyed on, or making sure your child has body autonomy, providing that open listening ear for all children.” Wesselink offers free, evidence-based parenting classes to anyone who wants to take them. She offers group classes and one-on-one sessions.
Larson offers a class that coaches adults on how to effectively communicate with children in the modern world and how to remain approachable to children with different social norms. This is just an example of one of the many free resources Building Families offers for anyone interested. With dedication, awareness, and collective action, we can build safer, healthier environments for our children to thrive. For more information, reach out to Building Families at 515-602-6371.
