In honor of April being National Child Abuse Prevention month, it is the responsibility of early childhood professionals to recognize signs of abuse and neglect and know the procedures for helping the children and their families.

Caregivers’ Responsibilities:

• Know your state’s law and regulations
• Be familiar with signs
• Keep written records of your observations
• Teach children self-protection strategies
• Report cases of suspected abuse or neglect
• Provide a stable, secure, consistent loving environment
• Help build a strong, positive relationship between parents and their children

Child abuse is like a virus - an infection that is often passed on from one person to another.  This infection spreads very quickly to others in the population.  Unless you avoid people altogether, it is almost impossible to go a day without encountering someone that has either been abused, is or has abused someone, or is very close to someone that has experienced an awful situation. The ‘virus’ infects the entire community with callousness and cynicism, anger and violence, crime, drugs, and disease.  The effects of child abuse are often a life-long problem and process that many need to go through. Children that are abused are missing out on the joy of childhood.  Abused children also have poor self-image, low self-esteem, depression, and inability to love and trust other people.

85 to 90% of the abusers are people the children know.  Therefore, do not be afraid of the stranger, but rather be aware of those that have access to your children – the coach, the teacher, the neighbor, the relative. 

Teach children self-protection strategies:

• Reinforce rules through books, role-playing, and examples
• Goal is to empower children
• Never take a gift from a stranger
• Never go anywhere with a stranger
• Only talk to people you do not know when you are with your mom or dad
• Your body is your personal property
• Never let anyone touch the private parts
• Teach the children that they ‘swimsuit area’ are the place on your body that no one should touch. 
• Talk to children about safety – teach them to use the telephone

Resources for Early Childhood Professionals and Parents:

• Child Abuse   
• Darkness to Light  
• There is No Excuse  
• Protect Kids  
• Stop it Now   
  

Bring Communities Together for Children – Children Bring Communities Together

Rasmussen College’s Brooklyn Park campus will come together to honor children and families and to thank early childhood teachers during the Week of the Young Child (April 13-19, 2008).  As part of the national Week of the Young Child, Rasmussen College is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives.

“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and Rasmussen College has a great opportunity to do our part to help young children,” said Cecelia Westby, Early Childhood Education Faculty.  “Week of the Young Child is time to recognize the importance of early learning for all young children, and to bring families, children and early childhood teachers together to help give all young children a great start.” 

Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children.    

• Event:   Week of the Young Child
• Date/Time:   Wednesday, April 16 from 5-8:00PM
• Location:   Rasmussen College’s Brooklyn Park Campus
• Your Hosts:  Rasmussen College, Early Childhood Students and Faculty

Bring your family and join us for early childhood activities, early literacy, parenting materials and more!

Register by contacting Beckie Blake at 763-493-4500 or by email at by April 9th.

Primary Caregiving is an important factor—possibly the most important—in a system of high quality care and education of young children.  Primary care means a child is assigned to one primary caregiver.  This teacher acts as the main point of contact for a child and their parents and therefore has the most knowledge of the child’s needs, preferences and interests.  Some caregivers express hesitation when they hear the word ‘primary’.  However, primary does not mean only.  All teachers are responsible for all children in their care.  The primary caregiver is first and foremost responsible for bonding with the child during the most personal times.  Attachment with a caring adult is critical for a child to grow and develop.

Considerations for a successful Primary Caregiver:

• Communicate.  Share messages about child to all teachers.  Help teachers understand some of the important day-to-day issues to provide the best care and education for individual children.
• Attachment.  Develop a special bond with each child; nurture the child during feeding, diapering and playing routines.  
• Teach.  Match experiences to each child; provide developmentally appropriate materials and equipment that promote development of individual children.  
• Observe.   Assess each child for developmental progress.  Discuss child’s experiences with other teachers and parents to ensure individual children experience high quality care and education. 
  

Primary Caregivers promote specialness in each child within the primary caregiver-child relationship.  Through Primary Care, and consequently ample nurturing, each individual child will thrive.