Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 65 / Tuesday, April 5, 2022 / Presidential Documents 19585 

Proclamation 10359 of March 31, 2022 

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2022 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Every child deserves to live in a safe and loving household; yet, for hundreds 

of thousands of children across our Nation, abuse and neglect are a tragic 

reality. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, our country stands 

as one to condemn and combat child abuse in all of its forms—including 

physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as online sexual exploitation; 

we raise awareness about the risk factors that can lead to child abuse 

and neglect; and we highlight the importance of supporting families to 

prevent child maltreatment. As a Nation, we must work together to prevent 

and address child abuse and ensure that every child can grow up in a 

safe environment and live a happy, prosperous life. 

Child abuse crosses all socioeconomic and educational levels, religions, 

and ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We know that abuse and neglect 

negatively impact every aspect and stage of a child’s life. Child abuse impacts 

the ability of students to succeed in school and often hinders their ability 

to forge healthy relationships with their loved ones and peers. It is associated 

with involvement in the juvenile justice system, especially for girls who 

have experienced sexual abuse. One of the most important tools to break 

the cycle and eliminate the tragedy of child abuse and neglect is prevention. 

This requires that we support and uplift our communities, families, and 

individuals so that our children can be raised in safe, loving, and healthy 

environments. For those children and adolescents who do experience abuse, 

it is important to ensure access to trauma-informed services and healing. 

In order to help prevent child abuse and neglect, my Administration is 

committed to providing high-quality and equitable support to all families 

that need it. The American Rescue Plan provided cash assistance to millions 

of working families and expanded the Child Tax Credit—which lifted millions of children and families out of poverty. It supplied critical funding 

to support State and community child abuse prevention and response efforts 

and authorized an additional $250 million for community-based child abuse 

prevention programs. This additional funding has allowed communities to 

address the complex structural issues that contribute to families becoming 

involved in the child welfare system. At a time when families are experiencing elevated hardships, especially vulnerable families that have been 

disproportionately affected by COVID–19, this extra support is more important than ever. Also, I was proud to sign into law a bill to help sustain 

the Crime Victims Fund, which provides assistance for child advocacy centers 

and other programs to address child abuse. 

I was raised to believe that one of the greatest sins is the abuse of power, 

and there is no greater abuse of power than the abuse of a child. National 

Child Abuse Prevention Month is an opportunity to take bold action to 

better support parents and caregivers with access to resources to cope during 

challenging times. It is also a time to identify and take the necessary steps 

to address inequities experienced by those who have been historically underserved and adversely affected by continuous poverty and inequality. Reducing 

child poverty is critical to reducing the disproportional representation of 


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19586 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 65 / Tuesday, April 5, 2022 / Presidential Documents 

low-income children and families—especially communities of color—in the 

child welfare system and foster care. 

Our Nation is also witnessing a cynical and dangerous campaign waged 

by some elected leaders who are attempting to weaponize the child welfare 

system against families just because they love and affirm their transgender 

children. These leaders have sought to direct child abuse investigations 

into families simply because they have provided access to affirming care 

for their children. These discriminatory actions threaten to hurt our Nation’s 

children and must stop. Affirming a transgender child’s identity is one 

of the best things that a parent, teacher, or doctor can do to keep children 

from harm. My Administration will continue to take actions to keep 

transgender children and their families safe. That is why the Department 

of Health and Human Services recently released new guidance to State 

child welfare agencies on how they can support and affirm LGBTQI+ children 

who are in foster care. 

During National Child Abuse Prevention Month and throughout the year, 

I call upon everyone to stand together against child abuse and neglect 

and show our appreciation of the hardworking child-welfare workforce and 

allies who are steadfast in their commitment to strengthening families, protecting children, and combating systemic inequities. For more information 

on how professionals and communities are supporting families and to learn 

strategies to advance equity in child abuse prevention programs, please 

view the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide, available at childwelfare.gov. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2022 as National 

Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this 

month by joining together as a Nation to promote the safety and wellbeing of all children and families and to recognize the child-welfare workforce and allies who work tirelessly to protect our children. And we honor 

the strength and resilience of adult survivors of child abuse. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day 

of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortysixth. 

[FR Doc. 2022–07273 

Filed 4–4–22; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3395–F2–P 


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