April is Child Abuse Prevention Month!

At the heart of Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s mission is a desire to keep children safe from abuse and neglect and to provide families with the resources and support they need to thrive! Since opening in 1986, over 136,000 children have received nurturing care at the Crisis Nursery when their families experienced an overwhelming crisis. Our dedicated staff is always available - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – because we know that stressful circumstances outside of a caregiver’s control can completely overwhelm their ability to cope, making the difficult job of parenting seem impossible and sometimes leading to devastating consequences. 

Child abuse and neglect is the number one health problem experienced by children. 1 in 7 U.S. children experienced abuse or neglect in the last year, and at least 1 in 4 children has experienced maltreatment at some point during their lives (CDC). Research shows that experiencing child maltreatment can have serious, life-long impacts for children, poorly impacting health outcomes, mental health, social development, and risk-taking behavior across the lifespan. Children whose families experience poverty, parenting stress, social isolation, family and community violence, single parenthood, and lack of resources are placed at greater risk for abuse and neglect.  

Seeing the statistics and risk factors for child abuse and neglect might feel sad and overwhelming, but there’s good news - Child abuse and neglect are entirely preventable! Because we know the circumstances that put a family at risk for child abuse and neglect, we also know the best ways to support them so that children remain healthy and safe, and families stay together.  

Saint Louis Crisis Nursery seeks to intervene before abuse or neglect occur. Built on trust and respect for what parents are going through, our 24-Hr Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, staffed by compassionate and highly trained staff to provide support to parents in crisis. When families are experiencing an emergency that threatens a child’s safety, the Nursery provides children 24/7 respite care and surrounds their families with the support and resources that they need to help resolve the crisis, returning children to their families safe and sound. We also offer our follow-up Family Empowerment Program to provide additional support for families so that they can move beyond crisis into longer-term stability.  

At the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, we believe that children deserve the opportunity to grow and thrive in safety and that families can reach their full potential when parents have the resources, tools, and support they need. Over 99% of children who receive care at the Crisis Nursery return home without any substantiated cases of abuse or neglect, while 95% of parents experienced reduced stress levels at their child’s discharge from our care. Committed to child abuse and neglect prevention for over 38 years, the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s consistent outcomes prove that supporting families and helping them stay together is the first step in building a brighter future for our region’s children.  Join us throughout the month of April as we observe Child Abuse Prevention Month and celebrate the Crisis Nursery’s lifesaving child abuse and neglect prevention work.