Investing in Prevention
Countless studies have demonstrated that prevention is worth every penny. Research suggests that for every dollar spent on early childhood prevention programs, we save between $4 and $7. Investing in prevention translates to fewer dollars spent on foster care, welfare, juvenile justice and a host of other programs further down the road.
When it comes to child abuse, we’re clearly talking about more than just dollars and cents. Abuse has detrimental and lasting consequences for a developing child. Effective prevention programs that foster child well-being and promote the security and stability of families hold promise – improving parent-child relationships, reducing likelihood for abuse, promoting child well-being, and lessening the current financial strain on our child welfare system.
In order to reduce the number of children entering foster care, we must substantially increase our investment in prevention efforts, including prenatal care for pregnant women, supports, training and education for new parents, and substance abuse treatment for high-risk parents. Providing supports and services for at-risk families is critical to ensuring that they never enter the child welfare system in the first place.
