[insert municipality name],
South Carolina Proclamation
Child Abuse Prevention Month

WHEREAS,	South Carolina's 1.1 million children residing in the diverse communities across our state, including XXX children in XXXX County, (insert data from KIDS COUNT Data Center) are our most valuable resource and will shape the future of our great state;

WHEREAS,	childhood trauma, including neglect and abuse, is a serious problem affecting every segment of our community, and finding solutions requires input and action from everyone; and

WHEREAS,	childhood trauma can have long-term psychological, emotional, and physical effects that have lasting consequences for victims of abuse; and

WHEREAS,	protective factors are conditions that reduce or eliminate risk and promote the social, emotional, and developmental well-being of children and youth; and

WHEREAS,	effective child abuse prevention activities succeed because of the partnerships created between child welfare professionals, education, health, community- and faith-based organizations, businesses, mental and behavioral health, law enforcement agencies, and families; and

WHEREAS,	communities must make every effort to promote programs and activities that build strong children and strengthen families; and

WHEREAS,	we acknowledge that we must work together as a community in partnership to build awareness about child abuse and neglect and contribute to promote the social and emotional well-being of children, youth and families in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment; and

WHEREAS,	prevention remains the best defense for our children and families; and

WHEREAS,	in state fiscal year 2024-2025, there were 7,024 substantiated Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations with 12,371 children in South Carolina, and XXX investigations with XXX children in XXXX County (insert data from SC DSS).

NOW, THEREFORE, I, [INSERT NAME], [TITLE], OF [CITY/COUNTY] in the great state of South Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

throughout [MUNICIPALITY NAME] and all South Carolinians to dedicate themselves to protecting the quality of life for all families and children so that we end child neglect and abuse.