Madison County Children Services is raising awareness about child abuse and how the community can help to decrease occurrences. On April 4, the department planted 490 pinwheels on the Madison County Court House lawn. Each pinwheel represents an incident of abuse reported and screened into Children Services in 2015. Shown here are department staff members: (from left) Jessie Brann, Felicia Miller, Amber Conley, Alli Lough, and Melissa Nunamaker.
(Posted April 8, 2016)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
In 2015, Madison County Children Services handled 490 reports of child abuse and neglect.
While the department’s purpose is to manage cases when abuse happens, the staff also works with families to prevent abuse from happening again.
“We help them build on their strengths and link them to resources we have in the county,” said Amber Conley, Children Services staff member.
To promote awareness, the Madison County commissioners designate April as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, and the department plants pinwheels, one for each abuse report from the previous year, on the courthouse lawn in London. For the third consecutive year, the department also is hosting a child abuse prevention carnival.
“The intent of the carnival is to raise awareness and to allow families in the community to have a free, fun event in the evening so that they can enjoy their children,” said Robin Bruno, Children Services administrator.
The carnival will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. April 29 at the London Community Center, 10 S. Walnut St. Area social service agencies, such as Help Me Grow, the Madison County-London City Health Department, and Mental Health Services, will be on hand with information booths.
Children can take part in carnival games and redeem tickets for prizes. Also planned are an obstacle course, face painting, balloon animals, crafts and a DJ. Each adult will receive a ticket for a drawing for various prizes, including admission to the Columbus Zoo, Sky Zone, bowling and more. Hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cotton candy, water and juice will be available. Everything is free.
“Last year, about 300 people attended the carnival,” Bruno said.
To learn more about child abuse prevention, foster care, adoption services and more, call Madison County Children Services at (740) 852-4770 or go to http://co.madison.oh.us/djfs/ and click on “Children Services.” The department is part of Madison County Job and Family Services.
