Every April, Child Abuse Prevention Month prompts conversations about how to keep children safe. Too often, those conversations focus on intervention—what to do after a child has already been harmed. But by then, it’s too late. Children who experience abuse or neglect suffer long-term consequences well into adulthood. However, when we shift our focus to family well-being, we help children and families to never reach the point of crisis.  

Child abuse and neglect is preventable—but only if we address the root causes before harm occurs.  

Families thrive when they have access to resources that support their financial and emotional health. Research shows that when parents can meet their basic needs—things like stable housing, food security, healthcare, and emotional support—they are better equipped to provide safe, nurturing environments for their children. When they lack these supports, the stress can become overwhelming, increasing the risk of child abuse and neglect.  

That’s why programs that strengthen family well-being are essential. When parents have access to concrete supports that improve mental health and financial stability, reports of abuse and neglect drop—and families flourish. 

Take Healthy Families Massachusetts, part of the Children’s Trust’s network of programs, which connects young, first-time parents with home visitors. The impact is undeniable: 

• A 32% reduction in second reports of child abuse and neglect 
• A 36% decrease in parenting stress 
• Lower rates of homelessness and substance use 
• Higher employment and educational attainment for parents 

And beyond the human impact, prevention is a smart economic investment. For every $1 invested in Healthy Families Massachusetts, the state sees a $3.11 return. The cost savings result from reductions in maternal depression, homelessness, and child maltreatment recurrence for program participants. That means fewer children in foster care, fewer crisis interventions, and fewer taxpayer dollars spent on reactive services. 

Yet, despite overwhelming evidence that prevention works, essential programs are seeing growing scrutiny and are at risk being gutted at the federal level. We are lucky to live in a state that believes in prevention, but Massachusetts, like other states, relies heavily on funding from the federal government to keep those programs running. Reducing or eliminating programs that support families will have negative long-term consequences. These programs aren’t just lifelines for parents—they are safeguards for children. Weakening them doesn’t just make it harder for families to get by; it actively puts children at risk. 

There is nothing “fiscally responsible” about gutting the very programs that prevent child abuse and neglect before it happens. When families lose access to the supports they need, the result isn’t savings—it’s suffering. The question isn’t whether we can afford to fund these programs. The question is whether we can afford not to. 

This Child Abuse Prevention Month, let’s demand policies that strengthen—not weaken—the systems families rely on. Let’s push for increased funding for programs that help parents build stable, healthy environments for their children. If we truly want to prevent child abuse, we need to act like it. That means fighting for the policies and funding that keep families strong. 

Throughout the month of April, we are going to release a series of posts that hone in on the key aspects of the work we are doing to prevent child abuse and neglect and how you can incorporate these programs and concepts into your work. We all have a role to play in supporting families.