GRANVILLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES: Granville County officials gathered on April 4 to commemorate the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month with a pinwheel ceremony held at the Oxford Department of Social Services (DSS) office. DSS staff were joined by members of the Granville County Social Services Board, the Granville County Board of Commissioners, and Sheriff Robert Fountain to show their commitment to ending child abuse with a message of hope for strong families and a supportive community that allows children to reach their full potential.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every family deserves the support to build a strong foundation for their children,” said Granville County Social Services Director LaToya Toussaint. “It takes all of us working together — from business leaders to policymakers to community advocates — to ensure that families have what they need to help their children reach their full potential.”

Throughout the month of April, Granville County DSS joins Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina (PCANC) and other partners across the state with a Child Abuse Prevention Month campaign theme of, “Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention.”

The vision at the heart of this campaign is simple: All children and families should be able to live purposeful and happy lives with hope for the future. To achieve this vision, the community must prioritize child maltreatment prevention and work to support families and communities while ensuring that families have the resources,
support, and connections they need before challenges become crises.

“For every $10 spent on child welfare in the U.S., only $1.50 goes toward prevention—we can and must do better,” said Sharon Hirsch, President and CEO of PCANC. “By investing in family resource centers and community-based solutions, we can ensure families have the support they need. When we shift our focus to prevention, we create a future where all children grow up in safe, stable, and nurturing environments, surrounded by positive experiences and hope.”

Get involved with Child Abuse Prevention Month this April by taking action to urge lawmakers to prioritize policies that strengthen families and communities on April 9, 2025, during Digital Advocacy Day. Find your legislators by visiting the NC General Assembly website: www.ncleg.gov/findyourlegislators and learn more about policies that strengthen families and communities at the PCANC website: https://positivechildhoodalliancenc.org/policy/

Granville County DSS is 1 of 100 county-administered social services agencies in North Carolina that provides an array of human supportive services that are authorized and funded by federal and state legislatures as well as local county governments. Social service programs enable economically disadvantaged families to meet basic survival needs and provide opportunities for families to gain self sufficiency through employment. Other DSS programs focus on the protection, prevention, and remediation of abuse, neglect, dependency, and/or exploitation of children and adults. If you suspect abuse, neglect, or abandonment of a child(ren) please call 919- 693-1511 from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and ask to speak to a Child Protective Services Intake Specialist. On weekends, holidays, or after 5 pm, please call 9-1-1 and the operator will be able to assist you.

For more information, visit our website at www.granvillecounty.org/463/Social-Services