(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are seeing buildings lit up at night with blue lights, and gardens filled with blue pinwheels as part of an effort to raise awareness about April being Prevent Child Abuse Month in the state. Kylie Spies, spokeswoman for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, explains the purpose of this month-long observance. “Child Abuse is preventable through things like social connections, building those really strong communities and strong families,” Spies says, “and we do that by getting to know our neighbors and learning the ways that we can be a positive force in the life of a child in the family.”

Studies show child abuse numbers dropped in Iowa during 2020, but rebounded in 2021, and Spies says there are a few theories about why. “One idea is that children in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, they spent less time around mandatory reporters like teachers, folks like coaches,” Spies says. “But there’s also been some research that’s come out since then that shows that there actually may have been a decrease in stress during that time, because there are also things like less emergency room visits for suspected abuse.”

A conference about child abuse prevention is scheduled for May 9th and 10th at the F-F-A Enrichment Center in Ankeny. “There’s an in-person conference in Ankeny or there’s a virtual option as well,” she says. “Our theme this year is called, ‘By Design, Creating Spaces Where Children Thrive.’ It’s a community issue. We can really build those spaces that are welcoming to families, that are supportive of families, and we’re going to have a lot of experts from all different fields, talking about ways that we can create those supportive spaces for families.”

To register and for more information, visit: pcaiowa.org.