Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention

The purpose of the Children’s Trust Fund is to prevent child abuse and neglect in Pennsylvania. The primary way the CTF fulfills this purpose is through grant-making to local communities to develop child abuse and neglect prevention. Specific emphasis for funding is placed on evidence-based and research-informed primary and secondary prevention programs, which focus on preventing abuse before it occurs for the first time.

Research literature strongly suggests that primary prevention is most often the least expensive and most effective means of solving a wide range of social problems, including child abuse and neglect. It is proactive, providing help before a crisis begins. Primary and secondary prevention services take measures to keep abuse and neglect from occurring for the first time in a family and build on family strengths, as opposed to providing services following an incidence of child abuse or focusing solely on family deficits.

Primary prevention includes services that promote the general welfare of children and families by preventing the first occurrence of child abuse and neglect. Primary prevention services are available to the general public and there is no screening for child abuse risk. Secondary prevention includes services that identify children and families who are in circumstances where there is an increased risk for child abuse and neglect. Although these families are thought to be at greater risk, the provision of service is also to prevent the first occurrence of child abuse and neglect.

For more information about child abuse and neglect prevention, go to Resources.