PCA Cobb: CAP Month 2025 Recap
Throughout April, we joined communities across the nation in recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month—a time to raise awareness and strengthen our collective commitment to supporting children and families. We serve as the local council for Positive Childhood Alliance Cobb (formerly Prevent Child Abuse). At PCA Cobb, we marked the month with meaningful activities including the planting of many pinwheel gardens, a strategy team meeting, local proclamations, and Wear Blue Day to show our solidarity. These efforts reflect our focus on prevention—creating environments where children can thrive—rather than intervention-only stepping in after harm has occurred. By working upstream, we aim to build safer, stronger communities for every child.
Why does this difference between prevention and intervention matter? Children are shaped by their early experiences in life. Science shows that bolstering protective factors and positive experiences for early childhood can prevent or even reverse the damaging effects of early life stress.
Wear Blue Day
We kicked off Child Abuse Prevention Month with Wear Blue Day on April 4th—a powerful visual reminder of our shared commitment to creating safe, supportive environments for all children. Community members, partners, and organizations across Cobb County joined us in wearing blue to stand in solidarity and spark conversations about prevention. This day serves as more than just a dress code—it’s a unified call to action, encouraging individuals to recognize the importance of child well-being and the role we all play in strengthening families.
Pinwheel Planting
The pinwheel, which represents a joyful and carefree childhood, was chosen when it launched in 2008. Its symbolic messages declare an intent to provide support and resources to ensure that all children are protected from abuse.
A pinwheel garden is a visible reminder to keep the prevention of child abuse at the forefront of people’s minds. Visible cues are a powerful way to engage people and elicit emotion.
We had many partners participate in the planting of a pinwheel garden and are so appreciative of the public support. Our partners who participated include the Cobb Juvenile Court, DFCS, The Cobb Family Justice Center, Smyrna Police Department, City Halls, and the Tillman House.
“Standing tall and spinning in the wind” is exactly the point of pinwheels, standing tall against adversity and showing there is strength in numbers and support. It represents what childhood should be like: joyful and resilient.
Theme
Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention was this year’s CAP month theme.
Hope is the engine that drives communities to envision a brighter future for every child. It fuels our belief that change is possible and that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment. But hope alone isn’t enough—lasting change comes through prevention. When we invest in strong families, connected communities, and supportive systems, we create the conditions that help children thrive. Together, hope and prevention form a powerful force for protecting childhood and building resilient futures.
The message behind Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention aligns closely with the HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) framework developed by Tufts University. HOPE emphasizes the importance of positive childhood experiences—like nurturing relationships, safe and stable environments, community engagement, and opportunities for emotional growth—as essential building blocks for lifelong health and well-being. By focusing on what’s strong rather than what’s wrong, HOPE reinforces the power of prevention in promoting resilience. Our activities throughout Child Abuse Prevention Month aimed to not only raise awareness but also actively foster these protective experiences that help children and families flourish. Prevention isn’t just about reducing harm—it’s about intentionally creating the conditions where all children can grow up hopeful, healthy, and supported.
Proclamations
To acknowledge CAP month, we were honored to receive two different proclamations from the cities of Austell and Smyrna. Our executive director 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.”
PCA Cobb Strategy Team Meeting
Midway through the month, we convened with dedicated partners and stakeholders at the Cobb Family Justice Center for our PCA Cobb: Supporting Children & Families strategy team meeting. This gathering centered around our shared commitment to prevention and strengthening families. We were thrilled to welcome a special guest—Blue, the energetic new mascot for Prevent Child Abuse. As a teddy bear, Blue represents the innocence, joy, and potential of every child, serving as a heartwarming symbol of hope. During the meeting, our presenters, Beth Florence with PCA GA & Grace Morrow with DPH, offered valuable updates on PCA Georgia initiatives, GA Essentials for Childhood, and the critical importance of accessing data on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). These insights help guide our prevention strategies and reinforce the power of data-informed decision making in creating lasting impact.
We sincerely thank Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia for their ongoing support and guidance throughout Child Abuse Prevention Month. Their partnership has been especially impactful in helping us facilitate meaningful conversations and collaboration during our PCA Cobb strategy meetings.
Our next PCA Cobb Strategy Team meeting will be held virtually on June 18th, 11:30-1pm.
Call to Action
As Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to a close, our commitment to protecting children and strengthening families continues. Prevention is ongoing work—and it’s work we can’t do alone. We invite community members, partners, and organizations to stay engaged, collaborate, and take action year-round. Whether it’s learning more about protective factors, supporting local families, participating in trainings, or joining us for future activities, your involvement helps build a safer, more nurturing community for all children.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Help For Children for their generous support of our Child Abuse Prevention Month activities—the partnership plays a vital role in helping us raise awareness, engage the community, and promote safe, nurturing environments for all children.
