Walterboro Live
The Colleton County Department of Social Services teamed up with the classes of Cougar New Tech teachers Laura Clark and Tabatha DeWitt last week to acknowledge April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The CNT students and DSS staff got together last Thursday to release balloons in acknowledgement of the importance of the communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and to draw attention to the effective solution of prevention.
The collaborative project resulted in the production of t-shirts designed by the Cougar New Tech students for the DSS staff.
“This was a very special day for us,” said Laura Clark, CNT teacher. “It was fantastic for the students to see the results of their collaborative project and to realize the importance of acknowledging Child Abuse Prevention Month.”
According to statistics provided by DSS, from June 2015 to June 2016 there were 43,924 reports of child abuse and neglect in South Carolina. Of those reported, approximately 25,000 child protective services were investigated and abuse was found in more than 10,000 of those cases.
Here in Colleton County, between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016, there were 355 reported cases, 274 investigations and 171 confirmed cases of abuse or neglect.
“Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time to celebrate the good things our communities do to support stronger families and healthy children,” said Audrey Brown, County Director of DSS. “Everyone — individuals, families and communities —must work together to prevent child abuse. I’d like to thank all the citizens of Colleton County for their support.”
Additionally, on April 5 Walterboro Mayor Bill Young signed a proclamation declaring April 2017 as “Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month” throughout the City of Walterboro.