October is child abuse prevention month

North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
News Release

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October is Child Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario. Last year in Ontario, 27,000 children suffered from some form of abuse or neglect. In the Nipissing and Parry Sound Districts, both professional and school based activities are planned to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect in our communities.

A “CAP Sticker” campaign targeting thousands of elementary school children in the North Bay and Parry Sound areas will occur on October 17. All children who wear a cap on that day at participating schools will receive a special CAP (Child Abuse Prevention) sticker to wear on their cap. The sticker depicts a drawing of a child along with the words “Don’t break the spirit”. All elementary schools will participate in the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic School Board, Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario, and Conseil scolaire Catholique Franco-Nord. Students from Centennial, E.T. Carmichael, E.W. Norman, Laurentian, Phelps Central, Silver Birches, and W.J. Fricker Public Schools from the Near North District School Board will also participate.

Also on October 17th, Nipissing University is where the conference “Child Neglect Hurts” will be hosted by the Child Abuse Prevention Committee of the District of Nipissing and the North Bay General Hospital. Attendees will hear pediatricians and social workers from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) along with local therapist Linda Rankin. A variety of topics will be presented about the impact of neglect on child development. Other organizations supporting the conference include the Children’s Aid Society and Algonquin Child and Family Services.

“Everyone has a responsibility to act when they see or hear that a child is suffering from abuse or neglect. If you are concerned about the safety of a particular child, you can talk to a child protection worker by calling 472- 0910,” says Vivian Romano, Co-Chair of the Child Abuse Prevention Committee of the District of Nipissing.

For more information about child abuse and neglect, recognizing signs of abuse, and understanding the process of reporting a possible case, visit the Ontario Children’s Aid Society online at www.useyourvoice.ca

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