Help us create a safer and healthier environment for children in our community. Join us in our efforts to prevent child abuse and ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Cobb Collaborative leads the Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia local council for Cobb County. In this role as Positive Childhood Alliance Cobb, the Collaborative will continue work within our programming to bolster child abuse and neglect prevention efforts and awareness in the community.
Positive Childhood Alliance Cobb looks forward to engaging the community in new ways to strengthen local families and help all children thrive. Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, says, "We are honored and excited to partner with SafePath Children's Advocacy Center on this important journey. We know that anything and everything we can do to strengthen and support parents, families and caregivers helps to prevent child abuse."
Know the Signs
Child abuse comes in many forms and includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and some forms of neglect. Once it has happened, it can have lasting affects on the physical and mental health of a child as well as his or her overall well-being. Learning the signs that a child is being abused is the first step on behalf of helping maltreated children.
Ways You Can Help
There are many ways to get involved in efforts to prevent child abuse:
Find more resources, information, and ways to get involved at Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia.
Resources for Families
FindHelpGA.org is an easy way for Georgians to get connected with help based on a comprehensive directory of local resources that will strengthen families.
In addition, Cobb County partnered with FindHelp this year to create a new online resource that connects residents with assistance programs.
Help seekers can search by zip code, or speak directly with a resource specialist by phone
(1-800-244-5373) or online chat to locate resources near them.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Child Abuse Prevention Month 2025
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and this year we embraced various initiatives to raise awareness.
Learn more about our efforts below:
Pinwheels for Prevention
Blue pinwheels were prominently displayed across Cobb County in April, representing the playfulness, joy, and innocence that define what childhood should be for every child. This initiative, supported by our community, truly brought to life the wonderful childhoods we envision.
We are grateful for the partners who participated in planting these pinwheel gardens, symbolizing our collective commitment to fostering safe and happy experiences for all children. Our dedicated partners included the Cobb Juvenile Court, DFCS, The Cobb Family Justice Center, Smyrna Police Department, various City Halls, and the Tillman House.
PCA Cobb Meeting
On April 16th, we held our PCA Cobb: Supporting Children & Families strategy team meeting at the Cobb Family Justice Center, focusing on prevention and family strenghtening.
We were delighted to welcome Blue, the Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia mascot, symbolizing the innocence and potential of every child.
Presenters Beth Florence (PCA GA) and Grace Morrow (DPH) provided valuable updates on PCA Georgia initiatives, GA Essentials for Childhood, and the importance of Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences (ACEs/PCEs) data, guiding our prevention strategies. We extend our sincere thanks to Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia for their ongoing support, which greatly enhances our PCA Cobb meetings.
Proclamations
To acknowledge CAP month, we were honored to receive two different proclamations from the cities of Austell and Smyrna. Our Executive Director, Irene Barton, put it best,
“Proclamations like this are a powerful way to raise awareness and demonstrate a shared commitment from policymakers and community leaders to prevent child abuse and support families. Together, we can build a safer, healthier future for all children.”
Positive Childhood Alliance (PCA) Georgia is housed in the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development at Georgia State University. PCA Georgia, a state chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, provides statewide direction to prevent child abuse and neglect, promote healthy child development, and develop strong families through its prevention network, public awareness, prevention programs, and advocacy.