New Jersey Nurse - April 2021

Page 6 New Jersey Nurse & Institute for Nursing Newsletter April 2021
A Sustained Vigilance Means Safer Children
Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW, Commissioner
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. At the New Jersey
Department of Children and Families, we recognize the vital role that nurses, and
other frontline health professionals play in reporting abuse and neglect, not just
during the month of April, but every single day.
We know that the stress and uncertainty of the last year – and likely the next
several months – is unprecedented. Families continue experiencing many COVID-
19-related challenges, including furloughs, unemployment, reduced work hours,
health worries, childcare concerns, and more.
The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic is difficult on everyone, but even more
so on children and families who are already at-risk. This includes families with:
• infants and toddlers
• children with disabilities
• a history of addiction or mental illness
• a history of violence
• economic/housing insecurity
Using any mobile device’s camera, one can ‘capture’ a web address that leads to
a poster designed specifically for youth, with a list of hotlines and helplines. The
QR code is discreet, which allows children to access the information or resources
they need to be safe.
Together we can eradicate child abuse and neglect, and ensure families are safe,
healthy and connected.
Abuse and neglect can thrive in isolation. Because many children are not
physically reporting to school or child care programs, regularly visiting friends or
family in the community, or seeing nurses and pediatricians for routine physical
checkups, it is much more difficult to spot the warning signs.
Children at-risk may appear to be unkempt. They may try to hide injuries or
have confusing explanations for how they got hurt. They may be hard to engage
or seem unemotional. Youth that are struggling may demonstrate worrisome
behaviors for longer than six months, such as acting out, seeming distant,
becoming easily agitated, performing poorly in school, engaging in substance
use or other risky social behaviors, running away or getting involved in gangs or
human trafficking. We all know each child and youth is unique and the impact of
the pandemic on them and their families can manifest in a variety of ways.
In New Jersey, everyone is a mandated reporter of child abuse or neglect. As
valued partners who have their “eyes and ears” on children in some capacity
during the year, we need your help.
We urge you to stay alert to these signs and to find creative, discreet ways
to allow children or youth to signal their need for intervention. These posters
(https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/publications/covid19.html#ca) can help nurses and
other professionals that may interact with children to know the signs.
One of the posters includes a QR code that can be used by professionals as a
virtual background or email signature. It can even be used as a place-holder slide,
at nurses’ stations and physicians’ offices.