Stafford County officials marked Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 14 by emphasizing the importance of early family education and support to prevent abuse and neglect. The county’s Social Services department placed blue pinwheels at the George L. Gordon, Jr., Government Center as symbols of hope for families.
The focus on prevention is important for Stafford County, where thousands of children attend local schools and rely on safe environments both at home and in classrooms. “Our goal in Social Services is to support families and strengthen them before a crisis occurs,” said Director of Stafford County Social Services Michael Muse. “We help create conditions where children can thrive by making sure parents are educated on what a safe, stable and nurturing environment looks like.”
This year, Virginia social services departments are concentrating on three main areas: safe sleep practices for infants, gun safety in homes with children, and controlled substance safety to reduce accidental exposures. Unsafe sleep remains the leading cause of non-natural death among infants in Virginia, prompting officials to share tips such as placing babies on their backs to sleep, using firm surfaces like cribs or bassinets without loose bedding or toys, room sharing without bed-sharing, and dressing infants appropriately.
Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1-17 in Virginia. Families are urged to teach children about firearm risks, store guns unloaded in locked safes separate from ammunition, supervise access closely—especially if someone at home has mental health concerns—and always ask about unsecured firearms when visiting other homes.
While adult drug overdoses have declined statewide, child fatalities from controlled substances have increased. Parents are advised to teach medicine safety—explaining that only adults should give medicine—and keep all medications out of reach with secure caps. Visitors should also be reminded not to leave medicines accessible when visiting homes with children.
Education plays a central role in these prevention efforts across Stafford County’s school system. The Stafford County Public Schools District enrolled 31,700 students during the 2023-24 school year—a figure that rose by 1.7% over the previous year according to Virginia Department of Education data. Brooke Point High School had the highest enrollment among local schools with 2,242 students enrolled last year according to the same source. Among pre-kindergarten programs countywide, Rising Star Early Childhood Education Center at Melchers welcomed 292 students—54.5% of all pre-kindergarteners locally—while Rocky Run Elementary School led kindergarten enrollment with 148 students.
Demographically, white students made up nearly two-fifths (38.9%) of public school enrollment last year (12,332 students), followed by Hispanic students who accounted for almost one-quarter (24.5%) or 7,780 pupils.
Resources for families seeking assistance or information about child abuse prevention can be found at www.staffordcountyva.gov/socialservices.
