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In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Duplin County Partnership for Children, Duplin County DSS and Guardian ad Litem of Duplin County held their 2024 Pinwheels for Prevention Ceremony at the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville, on April 12.
“We stand together today in solidarity and commitment with a heartfelt belief that all children deserve to be loved, to be safe, to be nurtured, and to be heard,” said Christy Jeffers, Duplin Judicial District 5, Guardian ad Litem Supervisor, as she welcomed guests.
According to data from Child Welfare in North Carolina, between July 2022 to June 2023, 799 cases were investigated in Duplin County for abuse and neglect, and it is an increase of 59 more cases when compared to the previous fiscal year.
Christy Jones, Duplin County Partnership for Children director, told the Duplin Journal that the three agencies partnered to raise awareness.
“We really wanted to focus on bringing awareness to child abuse and neglect, and just making everyone aware that it is not just those three agencies problem — it is a community responsibility. … Everybody has to work together to address it,” said Jones.
At the event, Jones spoke about the symbolism of pinwheels and the importance of communities working together.
“It is a positive emblem of the effect we can have when we work together to prevent child abuse. Pinwheels are used to help educate communities about the importance of supporting children and families. Shining in the sun, the pinwheel is reflective of the bright future all children deserve and our belief that getting it right early is less costly than trying to fix it later,” said Jones.
Serita Southerland, Duplin County DSS Social Work supervisor, spoke about the people involved in the process once a case of abuse or neglect is reported and the effort needed from the community to make that child, whose life has been torn into pieces, whole again.
“Along with DSS, GAL, and Partnership for Children, there are countless foster parents, medical professionals, mental health professionals, and judicial partners who will have a responsibility to help put this beautiful puzzle back together again,” said Southerland.
Sean Kenny, head of DSS engagement for Trillium Health Resources, was the guest speaker. He shared about the daily challenges that social workers face.
“Often workers are faced with secondary trauma that goes unrecognized or diagnosed and they need support,” said Kenny.
He also spoke about support and things Trillium Health Resources was doing to help support social workers prevent tragedies like accidental shootings and attempted suicides.
“Welfare workers have to talk about firearm safety in every single home they go into, many people do not know that, but child welfare workers are mandated to do that in the state of North Carolina, and to help keep the community safer in Duplin County we provided [Duplin County Department of Social Services] with a free supply of gun locks that they can distribute,” said Kenny, explaining that if a social worker comes across a home with an unsecured firearm, they can provide that family with a 15-inch cable gun lock free of charge.
“We just want to help make Duplin County and every county in North Carolina safer,” said Kenny.
According to Kenny, in North Carolina:
- There are over 12,000 kids in foster care
- One in four youths experience some sort of abuse or neglect.
- Annually there are over 21,000 victims of abuse or neglect.
- 1,588 people die annually at the hands of a firearm, with 54% deaths caused by suicide, 41% by homicide and the rest are either unintentional or undetermined. Many are wounded in a suicide attempt. “So, they didn’t succeed in killing themselves, but they have some lifelong effects unfortunately,” said Kenny. “And is one of the leading causes of deaths in kids and teens.”
Visit preventchildabusenc.org to learn more about recognizing and reporting child abuse.
