NORRISTOWN — Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center partnered with SEPTA on Friday to place 1,326 pinwheels at the Norristown Transportation Center in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The “Pinwheels for Child Abuse Prevention Garden” was unveiled to the community at a ceremony by Mission Kids, SEPTA, local legislators, law enforcement partners, child protective services agencies, representatives from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and other community stakeholders and friends.
A symbol of childhood and innocence, the pinwheel represents what every child should have — the chance to experience the joy and innocence of childhood, to laugh and play without the fear of physical or sexual abuse, according to Mission Kids.
The 1,326 pinwheels, which will remain on display at the Norristown Transportation Center on Dekalb Pike throughout the month of April, represent the 1,326 suspected child abuse victims supported by Mission Kids last year. This visual representation underscores the importance of protecting children and providing them with safe environments to grow and thrive, the organization stated in a press release.
“Protecting children and fighting for justice when they are harmed has been a top priority in my career and is still a focus at the Office of Attorney General,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry at Friday morning’s Pinwheels Ceremony.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we continue to speak up and encourage others to speak up when we see children in dangerous situations. My office will continue to seek justice when harm is done, but everyone can play a part in protecting children before they are abused.”
Echoing AG Michelle Henry’s sentiments of commitment to kids’ safety were special addresses from Leslie Slingsby, CEO of Services and Operations, Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center; Ken Lawrence Jr., SEPTA board chairman; state Sen. Maria Collett; state Rep. Greg Scott; Neil Makhjia, vice chairman of the Montgomery County Commissioners; Thomas DiBello, a county commissioner; Ed McCann; Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney, and Norristown Police Chief Dr. Jacqueline Bailey-Davis.
Mission Kids is a Child Advocacy Center that offers a comprehensive, centrally-located, multidisciplinary team response to allegations of child abuse in Montgomery County.
“While it may come as a shock that more than 1,326 kids in our backyard needed these services, the truth is that the number of children in need is probably much higher. It can be painful to imagine and uncomfortable to talk about, but whether we address it or not, child abuse happens. And the only chance we have at preventing it is choosing to use our voice,” the release stated.
“This is the purpose of the 1,326 pinwheels — to honor 1,326 children’s journey towards healing from abuse and raise awareness, in hopes that by doing so, we can help prevent child abuse and keep our children safe,” the release stated.
“By displaying pinwheels, Mission Kids joins with more than 40 local Children’s Advocacy Centers across the state to draw attention to the importance of providing children with safe, healthy environments. While each pinwheel symbolizes the trauma that child victims have endured, they also stand as a sign of resilience, healing and hope for the joyful future that children deserve.
“With the intervention and support that Children’s Advocacy Centers provide, child victims can heal from trauma. Bringing together law enforcement, child protective services, medical professionals, and trauma therapists, Mission Kids intervenes to stop abuse and ensure that victims and caregivers are connected to the support and resources they need to begin the healing process.”
“Every one of those pinwheels represents a real child who is working every day to heal from something truly life-altering, that was never their fault,” Leslie Slingsby, Mission Kids’ chief executive officer of services and operations, stated. “But while 1,326 children were navigating their healing journey with Mission Kids last year, 12,593 children were learning to identify safe adults in their lives and speak out against abuse through our prevention education lessons in 14 of our 22 public school districts in Montgomery County.”
Through evidence-based programs, Mission Kids is helping children understand what body safety means by teaching kids strategies to protect themselves if someone puts them in an unsafe situation and helping them identify and communicate with a safe adult about these situations. Following prevention education lessons in schools each year, it’s not uncommon for a child to disclose abuse to Mission Kids’ staff or their school guidance counselor, according to the release.
“SEPTA is proud to partner with Mission Kids to help raise awareness about child abuse, and empower our neighbors to help prevent incidents from occurring,” said SEPTA’s Lawrence Jr., a former Montgomery County commissioner. “I encourage everyone to stop by the Norristown Transportation Center, as these pinwheels serve as a reminder that we all play an important role in the lives of children in our communities.”
Learn more about how you can use your voice to help prevent child abuse at www.missionkidscac.org/pinwheels.
Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety should call Pennsylvania’s ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313 to make a report.
Mission Kids is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that offers a comprehensive, centrally-located, multidisciplinary team response to allegations of child abuse in a dedicated, child-friendly setting to achieve justice for child victims and promote their physical and mental well-being. Mission Kids provides neutral, fact-finding forensic interviews that are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing and support Montgomery County’s multidisciplinary team approach to child abuse investigation and intervention. Advancing the field of child advocacy, Mission Kids is a leader in prevention education, professional training, research, public policy work, and mentorship as we seek to ensure that the world is a safer and better place for all children.
