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Dot to dot is a popular activity among children. A blank page is covered with dots and each dot has a number or letter next to it. Connecting the dots in the correct numerical or alphabetical order creates a picture out of an apparently chaotic scattering of dots.
From this activity came the phrase “connecting the dots,” which describes putting together disconnected pieces of information to form a coherent “picture” of a concept, strategy or initiative.
April is an important month for connecting the dots related to child health, safety and well-being because April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Month of the Young Child.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that by connecting the dots of the following statistics and focusing on preventing maltreatment of young children, we can reduce overall child abuse rates by up to 40 percent and can prevent future violence among adults:
* 43 percent of child maltreatment victims nationally and in Hawaii are under the age of 5.
* Female victims of child physical or sexual abuse are two to four times more likely to be adult victims of physical, sexual or psychological abuse than women who were not abused as children.
* Children (particularly boys) who are maltreated early in life are at greater risk for committing violence against their peers later in life.
The Ho’oikaika Partnership, a coalition of over 40 organizations and individuals working to prevent child abuse and neglect in Maui County, is connecting the dots among multiple forms of violence into a comprehensive community strategy of engaging families, social service organizations and the Maui community in building five protective factors:
* Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development.
* Parental resilience.
* Social connections.
* Concrete supports for parents.
* Social and emotional competence in children.
The presence of these research-based protective factors among parents and communities:
* Promotes optimal outcomes for children, youth and families.
* Reduces the likelihood of victimization by abuse, neglect or assault.
* Decreases the influence of risk factors that interfere with a child’s healthy growth and development or put a child or adult at a higher risk of victimization or committing violence.
With its several designations related to healthy development and relationships, the month of April provides a platform for talking about the connections between early-childhood development, child abuse and neglect, and violence among adults. If you or your organization is ready to move from talking to action, contact the Ho’oikaika Partnership (hooikaikapartnership.com) to learn more about connecting the dots on Maui to create a picture of healthy relationships at all ages.
This viewpoint was submitted on behalf of the Ho’oikaika Partnership by Core Partners Edeluisa Baguio-Larena, executive director, Maui Family Support Services; Jeny Bissell, Family Health Services division supervisor, Maui District Health Office; Nicole Hokoana, director, Child & Family Service Maui County Programs; Tina Kiyabu-Crowell, quality assurance specialist, Maui Family Guidance Center; and Paul Tonnessen, executive director, Friends of the Maui Children’s Justice Center.
For a complete listing of the Ho’oikaika Partnership members and for child abuse prevention resources including brochures about the protective factors, visit www.hooikaikapartnership.com. To request materials or a free training for your business, community or organization, contact Ho’oikaika Partnership at info@ hooikaikapartnership.com.
Statistics and information are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publication, Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links Among Multiple Forms of Violence. It is available at www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/connecting_the_dots-a.pdf.
The Ho’oikaika Partnership receives funding from the Hawaii Children’s Trust Fund and Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii.
* Karen Worthington is a certified child welfare law specialist and coordinator for the Ho’oikaika Partnership.