Ending Child Abuse and Neglect: One Place’s Strategies

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month—and throughout the month, we’ve shared insights on different ways to help prevent child abuse and neglect. Today, we’re highlighting One Place’s role in preventing and ending child abuse and neglect in Onslow County. 

In North Carolina, reports of child maltreatment remain high. In 2020, there were more than 108,000 children with investigated reports of possible abuse and neglect. More than 3,000 cases of child abuse were assessed in Onslow County in FY 2023 through Onslow County Department of Social Services.

All of One Place’s programs are designed to serve as a preventative approach to child abuse. From helping families connect with safe, trustworthy child care programs to giving children and parents the tools they need to thrive, we seek to protect every child in our community. 

How One Place’s Programs End Child Abuse and Neglect 

Connecting families with high-quality, trustworthy child care 

High-quality child care increases the chances that children will spend their educational time in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment led by trustworthy adults. In addition, access to affordable child care alleviates parental stress, allowing many families to return to the workforce or pursue other opportunities. Learn more here.

Providing family support services and parental education  

Evidence-based home visiting and parenting education programs can help parents and caregivers build their parenting skills and increase their knowledge of child development. We provide family support services through our Early Head Start program and our Child Care Resource & Referral team connects parents with vital resources and support to build resilience and expand parenting knowledge. We also connect families to Triple P – a positive parenting program that provides parents/caregivers with a powerful toolbox of ideas and strategies to help you raise happy, confident kids, manage misbehavior, set rules and routines, and feel confident in your skills as a parent. You can work through the materials at your own pace—anytime, anywhere. This program is free for North Carolina residents.

Building a trauma-informed staff

As One Place expands to deepen our reach and impact in Onslow County, we are committed to ensuring our staff is trauma-informed through various trainings and initiatives. This includes the Five Protective Factors Framework and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), two fields of study that are relevant to child abuse and neglect. 

Training early childhood educators in Onslow County 

To ensure that Onslow County’s early childhood education workforce is well-equipped to prepare children for a successful future, One Place provides trainings centered on social and emotional development, ACEs, and additional topics designed to enhance their knowledge and expertise. Learn more about training opportunities.

Fostering community awareness around child abuse and neglect

Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. At One Place, we are dedicated to fostering community awareness of child maltreatment in Onslow County. We are also developing materials and support for local businesses to improve workplace policies. 

The One Place Child Advocacy Center 

If abuse and neglect occurs, One Place offers support through our Child Advocacy Center (CAC)—a child-focused facility that provides hope and healing to children from birth to age 17 who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, serious neglect, and/or violence. 

The CAC model provides a powerful child-focused environment. Instead of a child telling their story to numerous professionals, a child tells their story only once to a trained interviewer. This prevents retraumatization and provides a safe place for children to begin their healing journey.

Since the opening of our CAC, we’ve supported more than 3,400 cases of child abuse and neglect in Onslow County, including 221 children in 2023. Without access to a CAC in our community, children would be forced to receive these critical services outside of the country—prolonging the healing process and leading to further trauma. 

You can help us end child abuse and neglect. 

Take these steps to help us end child abuse and neglect in Onslow County.

• Be a safe and nurturing parent/caregiver. Tell your children they’re special, loved, and capable of anything. 
• Help your community. Offer to lend a helping hand to your neighbors or relatives. 
• Build your resilience. Don’t take out your emotions on your kids. 
• Support the Child Advocacy Center with the purchase of an item from the wish list or a donation.
• Get involved. Connect with your greater community in Onslow County. 
• Report suspected abuse or neglect. Call the Onslow County Department of Social Services (DSS) at (910) 455–4145.