April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month: a time to increase public awareness of child abuse and neglect and recommit resources within the community to prevent cycles of abuse.

CASA of East Tennessee works to combat child abuse and neglect by recruiting, training and support to volunteers who advocate within the Knox County Juvenile Court for safe, stable, permanent homes where children can thrive. In the past year, CASA of East Tennessee advocated for 265 children in our community.

As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in family and community stressors. Vulnerable populations are struggling to find resources to meet their needs. School and daycare closures are compounding on this as families struggle to care for their children while in crisis. Presently, national child abuse hotlines are seeing a rise in abuse and neglect reports.

This is particularly concerning as teachers and daycare workers who are trained to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse are no longer seeing some of the most vulnerable children. As such, we fear that the number of abuse instances that are not being reported may be significantly higher.

CASA of East Tennessee is committed to serving children and advocating for family resources and services during this time. We expect that this crisis will cause a significant increase in the number of children in need of advocacy.

Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention is a difficult conversation, often leaving many wondering: “How Can I Help?”

During the month of April, and every month throughout the year, CASA of East Tennessee encourages you to become aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and to report instances to the Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline at 877-237-0004.

Volunteer your time or donate to support CASA of East Tennessee’s mission to serve these vulnerable children in Knox County by visiting www.casaofeasttn.org.

Help raise awareness and share how CASA of East Tennessee is serving children in our community by liking and sharing on Facebook and Instagram.