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Tools for Sharing Your Message

Tools and resources to share with the media regarding child abuse and neglect prevention, including steps for reaching out to the media, key message points, and sample letters to the editor.

	Reframing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Practical Tool Kit FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (2006) Provides sample materials for framing a positive message about child abuse and neglect prevention.

Become a Part of Your Community: 2008 Advocate Resource Booklet (PDF - 3130 KB)
Prevent Child Abuse Florida, Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, & Florida Department of Children and Families (2008)
Helps individuals involve schools, religious and civic organizations, childcare providers, parents, media outlets, and others in a community-wide campaign to focus on solutions to prevent child abuse and neglect. Also available in Spanish (PDF - 3370 KB).

Building Community Systems for Young Children: Public Education and Outreach (PDF - 125 KB)
UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities (2001)
Guidelines for the development and application of public education efforts to inform citizens about child development and healthy family behaviors. Types of outreach campaigns, design of strategic initiatives, and funding approaches are described.

Building Relationships: Parallels Between Infant-Toddler Development and the Public Policy Process (PDF - 57 KB)
Rappaport & Yarbrough (2007)
Outlines Federal and State-level policymakers that advocates may want to build relationships with in order to positively influence public policy and systems change efforts. Includes recommendations and examples of ways to build policy relationships.

Child Abuse Prevention Month Campaign Toolkit
Children's Trust of Washington (2007)
Examples of public awareness materials from Washington State include a sample proclamation, press release, and letter to the editor, as well as campaign logos and flyers, parenting brochures, and several videos.

Making the Public Case for Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention: A FrameWorks Message Memo (PDF - 175 KB)
FrameWorks Institute & Prevent Child Abuse America (2004)
Research on how Americans view child maltreatment and recommendations for long-term and short-term approaches to improve the messaging of child abuse prevention.

National County Government Week 2008: Protecting Our Children (PDF - 362 KB)
National Association of Counties (2008)
Provides ideas for celebrating National County Government Week and promoting county efforts to serve and protect children and all residents, including helpful information about media outreach strategies.

Prevent Child Abuse America Advocacy Guide
Prevent Child Abuse America (2001)
A guide for advocating for child abuse and neglect prevention policies and programs. Chapter 4 provides tools for working with the media, including letters to the editor, news releases, and a press briefing kit.

Publications
Safe Start Center
Offers numerous links to materials that can be used for community education and outreach, including posters, public service announcements, information kits, factsheets, guides, manuals, and other multimedia resources.

Supporting Early Childhood Initiatives: Legislative Strategies for Everyday People (PDF - 1490 KB)
DeLapp (2003)
Helps community members understand how they can influence basic legislative processes to support early childhood and other child and family initiatives that promote the well-being of young children and their families.

	Related Information Gateway Topics Preventing child abuse & neglect: National Child Abuse Prevention Month Preventing child abuse & neglect: Promotional tools for sharing the 2009 Resource Guide Preventing child abuse & neglect: Proclamations and press releases

Updated on April 3, 2009