• By Todd Luck
• Posted Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Social Services Rings Bells for Child Abuse Prevention Month

Forsyth County Department of Social Services commemorated National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month with a proclamation and hand bell ringing on Monday, April 8.

The Family and Children’s Services Division sponsored “Ring Out Child Abuse in Forsyth County." Nationally, 4.1 million reports were made to child protective services last fiscal year. Locally, Social Services receives over 5,000 calls annually about child abuse and neglect, and 65 percent of those cases are screened in, resulting in more than 500 active child protective services cases every month.

Dozens of Social Services employees gathered in front of the Department of Social Services Walter Marshall Building for the proclamation reading and bell ringing, which included remarks by Social Services Director Victor Isler.

“When we talk about child abuse prevention, we’re talking about the work that you guys do every day as a professional, and I want to say on behalf of the county and this agency that I do greatly appreciate what you do,” said Isler.

He said that Social Services is actively seeking ways to reduce child abuse, including applying for a grant to fund preventive social worker positions.