[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 8645 of March 31, 2011

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Our Nation's children are our hope for the future, and caring for them
is one of our greatest responsibilities. During National Child Abuse
Prevention Month, we renew our commitment to preventing child abuse and
neglect by promoting healthy families, protecting children, and
supporting communities throughout our Nation.
Although a strong family unit is the best deterrent to child abuse,
effectively intervening in the lives of children threatened by abuse is
a shared responsibility. Strengthening the bonds within families
requires community members and leaders to partner with parents. From
schools to local social service agencies, we can work together to
protect the well-being of our children by recognizing the signs of
violence and creating safe, stable, and nurturing environments that
safeguard the promise of their futures.
My Administration will continue to reinforce initiatives that enhance
the efforts of child protective service agencies to prevent and treat
child abuse. Last December, I was pleased to sign into law the CAPTA
(Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment) Reauthorization Act of 2010,
giving States and local authorities new tools to identify and address
abuse and neglect. This Act will also bolster prevention efforts by
addressing risk factors for mistreatment like substance abuse, mental
illness, and domestic violence. We are also supporting programs that
expand coordination of early childhood services in order to improve
outcomes for young children.
As a Nation, we must continue our work to ensure all children have the
ability to live free from abuse and neglect by advocating for the safety
of all young people. For more information about what families and
communities can do to overcome this devastating problem, concerned
Americans can visit: www.ChildWelfare.gov/Preventing.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2011 as National
Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this
month with programs and activities that help prevent child abuse and
provide for children's physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
fifth.
BARACK OBAMA