Oakland Family Services raises awareness about child abuse

Oakland Family Services raised awareness in April about the importance of preventing child abuse and neglect by participating in a rally in Lansing and planting pinwheels.

As part of Child Abuse Prevention month, our preschoolers braved the springtime snow and planted pinwheels — the national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention — at the Children’s Learning Centers.

Later in the month, a group of employees showed the agency’s support for child abuse prevention by participating in the State of Michigan's 10th annual Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day Rally. In 2016 alone, an estimated 1,700 children died from abuse or neglect, according to the Michigan Children’s Trust Fund.

“We attended the Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day Rally because we want to stress the importance of protecting children and providing programs that will help children who may be at risk,” said Teri Dorta, Early Childhood Services manager.

Oakland Family Services works hard every day to promote child well-being and prevent child maltreatment. Our foster homes provide a safe, temporary, out-of-home placement for children who have been removed from their family due to abuse or neglect. Find out how you can become a foster parent. We also offer programs that help reduce the chance of child abuse and neglect: Fussy Baby, Parents as Teachers, and Early On. These programs, as well as our foster parents, help build brighter futures for the children in our community.