Highlands Shores Children’s Aid Society is encouraging people to speak up about the importance of supporting children.
Social media posts with the hashtag IBREAKtheSilence are being used this month ahead of Dress Purple Day on Thursday, Oct. 27. On this day, people can wear purple T-shirts to share the message that help is available for kids and everyone plays a role in their safety.
Highland Shores is the child welfare organization that covers a broad region of Eastern Ontario, including Bancroft. This year it’s encouraging people to think about how they can check in on neighbours and offer support if something seems not right.
It says that, across Ontario, almost 90 per cent of children who receive support from Children’s Aid Societies do so because their families are unable to meet their physical and emotional needs. This could be because of difficulties related to mental health, addictions, social isolation, trauma or financial stress.
It means the vast majority of families are dealing with issues not related to abuse that most people associate with child welfare.
If you have concerns about a child you can call 1-800-267-0570. And tips on how to identify child abuse or neglect can be found at www.highlandshorescas.com