Some of our nation’s costliest social problems—like child abuse and neglect—are rooted in early childhood. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize the proven policies that help break the cycle of abuse and that promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families.
Voluntary home visiting matches parents with trained professionals to provide information and support during pregnancy and throughout their child’s early years—a critical developmental period. Increasingly, states are turning to evidence-based home visiting programs in an effort to prevent abuse and neglect.
Learn more about how home visiting gives families a solid foundation and helps states save money.
 The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center, National Kids Count Program, "Children who are confirmed by child protective services as victims of maltreatment by age group (Percent) – 2009," accessed February 28, 2012.
 Olds DL, Eckenrode J, Henderson CR, Kitzman H, Powers J, Cole R, Sidora K, Morris P, Pettitt LM, Luckey D, “Long-term Effects of Home Visitation on Maternal Life Course and Child Abuse and Neglect: 15-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Trial,” Journal of the American Medical Association. 1997; 278(8): 637-643.
 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), Administration on Children, Youth and Families, "Child Maltreatment 2008," accessed February 28, 2012.
 Fang X, Brown DS, Florence CS, Mercy JA, "The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention," Child Abuse & Neglect. 2012; In Press.
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 Lee E, Michell-Herzfeld SD, Lowenfels AA, Greene R, Dorabawila V, DuMont KA, “Reducing low birth weight through home visitation: a randomized controlled trial,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2009; 36(2):154–160.
 Levenstein P, Levenstein S, Shiminski J A, Stolzberg JE, “Long-term impact of a verbal interaction program for at-risk toddlers: An exploratory study of high-school outcomes in a replication of the Mother-Child Home Program,” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 1998; 19: 267-286.