April: National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Author: Paula Garner, CEO, Maryhurst
In Kentucky, more than 14 of every 1,000 children will suffer abuse each year, nearly double the national average. While that number is alarming, we are making progress, lowering it by nearly a quarter in recent years. As Kentucky’s oldest child welfare nonprofit, I want to mark National Child Abuse Prevention Month by sharing what is working and how you can help.
Not long ago, a young child in one of our partner schools was on the verge of being expelled from kindergarten. She was acting out in ways that frightened her classmates and concerned her teachers. She struggled to regulate her emotions, had frequent outbursts, and often withdrew from her peers.
Those behaviors weren’t just disruptions in the classroom. They were warning signs of trauma and possible abuse or neglect that could have been ignored until the situation became more serious.
It would have been easy to label her as a problem. It would have been easy to give up.
Instead, someone made the intentional choice to step in.
Through Maryhurst’s Renewal program, our team worked closely with that child and her family, helping them access support, build trust, and restore stability at home. Several months later, that same child stood proudly in front of her class holding a certificate for Student of the Week.
That moment may seem small on the surface, but it represents something powerful. It shows what happens when a child is seen, supported, and given a chance to succeed. It’s why the work of Maryhurst and organizations like ours matters.
At Maryhurst, our Residential program cares for some of the most vulnerable young women in our community. Many arrive after years of instability, loss, and trauma. When they walk through our doors, we see survivors and fighters. We see resilience and strength. We see young people in dire need of building a better future for themselves.
And they deserve a community that fights for them just as hard.
The consequences of unmet needs show up in ways that shake an entire community. There are always warning signs, opportunities to intervene earlier, and adults who can step in to change the outcome.
That’s why prevention and early intervention are at the heart of everything we do. Maryhurst is proud to serve as a trusted partner in keeping children and families safe across our community and Commonwealth. But this work depends on people who are willing to get involved by volunteering, advocating for families, and supporting the programs that keep children safe.
That kind of community support provides the foundation for prevention.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in more than three decades of this work is that children are incredibly resilient. Even after trauma that no child should endure, they continue to hope, try, and look for someone who will believe in them.
But resilience doesn’t happen alone.
It’s built through trusted relationships with adults and communities who show up, stay involved, and support children when they need it most.
And that brings me back to the young child I mentioned at the beginning of this story.
Today, she’s no longer on the verge of being expelled. She’s learning, growing, and building confidence in herself. She has support around her. She has stability at home. And she has a future that looks quite different than it did just a short time ago.
That outcome didn’t happen by accident.
Adults paid attention.
The community stepped in.
Someone chose to act.
Breaking the cycle of abuse requires all of us to show up.
Will you join us in this work?
You can make a difference by volunteering your time, advocating for children and families, or supporting the programs that help keep kids safe. Learn more about how to get involved at Maryhurst.org.
