NOSAC Lifts Up Critical Ways to Protect Children and Youth During National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 23, 2025
Jenny Crichton

NOSAC Lifts Up Critical Ways to Protect Children and Youth During National Child Abuse Prevention Month

[April 2025]

During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the National Organization of State Associations for Children (NOSAC) believes it is critical to uplift the needs of children and youth who are most at risk of child abuse, and to ensure that we speak out for those that are facing discrimination based on recent changes in federal policy.

NOSAC believes that children, youth, and families have the right to have their basic needs met and the opportunities and resources they need to succeed, and that states only succeed when all of our children, youth, and families thrive. We believe that families are made up of loving adults caring for children who are nurtured and accepted for all the potential of who they are and wish to be.

If we are serious about preventing child abuse, it means adequate investment in making sure that children and their families have access to safe housing, food, healthcare, education, and violence prevention in their communities.

We wish to lift up the real dangers that the LGBTQIA+ community faces relative to child abuse prevention, and the kind of violence that is often experienced by LGBTQIA+ youth. Despite only making up 1.8% the general population, Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming and Expansive (TGNC+) youth make up 13.8% of the child welfare system. 73% of these youth have experienced psychological abuse, 39% physical abuse, and 19% sexual abuse. Familial Rejection is the key driver for LGBTQ+ youth involvement in the child welfare system, with 40% of TGNC+ youth being kicked-out, abandoned, or needing to run away, and 17% of LGB+ youth experiencing the same.

We aim to amplify our vision to help combat the actual risks present and the need to be safe when reimagining what abuse prevention looks like all for children, youth, and families, ensuring the availability of protective factors in support of all youth.

For more resources on protective factors and child abuse prevention see below:

Protective factors for LGBTQ+ Youth

Child Abuse Prevention Resources

Statistics cited are from these two sources:

About NOSAC

NOSAC is a national organization made up of State Associations who represent children and children services. Our purpose and mission are to facilitate networking and to share information among our member associations. On a national level, we coordinate child welfare issues with other National Organizations and provide uncompromising leadership.