Prevention Guide for Parents & Caregivers – click photo to open
Guia para padres y cuidadores
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Partners:
We are all facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The wave of disruptions, uncertainty, anxiety, fear and loss can be overwhelming.
Our focus is on our children. We know raising children can be stressful for all parents, from the earliest days of a crying baby to behavior challenges that often accompany our teenagers. Parents need emotional, economic and social supports, education, and guidance to ensure our children enjoy the great childhood they deserve – happy, healthy, and free from any form of maltreatment.
Today’s circumstances raise the stakes for families facing economic and job loss, closed schools, activities and children at home, dealing with food insecurity and health concerns, and doing it all without being able to leave home.
Our focus is on our children. In the coming days and weeks, we will share information with you that we hope can be helpful in efforts directly related to your job as a parent – in finding answers to health questions, access to community resources, tips to promote positive mental health and resilience – which will help us successfully navigate these extraordinary events and come out on the other side.
There is a lot of information out there; we will do our best to share with you information about navigating stress and tips for parenting that help you stay in the moment, remain positive and calm as we ride out this storm, and learn about options that allow us take advantage of the extra time together that can present a unique and positive gift.
Our focus is our children. Our mission has never been more important. Everyone can play a role to prevent any child from experiencing any form of child abuse. We wish you the best.
Managing Stress
Cleveland Clinic: Tips for Managing Stress
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: Ways to Keep Family Structure While Homebound
American Psychiatric Association: Links to Hotlines/Immediate Help
Johns Hopkins Medicine: How to Prepare and Be Mindful
Washington Post: Building Emotional Resilience
University of Texas at Austin: Building Community Resilience
Tips for Families
Dr. Machelle Madsen Thompson: Resilience for Children & Families: Coronavirus
Child Care Aware of America: At-Home Brain-Building Tips for Families with Children ages birth-5
Zero to Three: Talking to Young Children and Self-Care
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Important Information for Families to Cope in English and Spanish
General Information
Centers for Disease Control: Evolving Info on How Covid Spreads
World Health Organization: Latest Updates on the Pandemic
National Institutes of Health: Public Health Info & Resources
The State of New Jersey: NJ Q&A, Updates, and Resources