Douglas County urges families to strengthen prevention, protect children from abuse

Douglas County used its April 28 business meeting to push a practical message: protect children by strengthening families before abuse or neglect becomes a crisis. The Board of County Commissioners formally recognized Child Abuse Prevention Month and tied the observance to services that parents can use now, not later, when problems have already reached schools, hospitals or law enforcement.

County officials pointed to a statistic that sharpens the urgency. One in seven children in the United States will experience abuse or neglect each year. State data released in April added local weight to that warning, with nearly 6,000 Colorado children experiencing abuse or neglect in 2025, about five out of every 1,000 children statewide.

Douglas County’s prevention message centered on five protective factors linked to stronger families: parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social-emotional competence in children. The county also directed parents to the Child Welfare Resources webpage and to Douglas County Mental Health Initiative partners for support, counseling and help navigating services.

The county’s child welfare page says the Child Protection Services Division is committed to safety, protection and family-focused services, with the goal of safety, permanency and family preservation. Reports of child abuse and neglect are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Families can call the county hotline at 303-663-6270 or the statewide Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-844-CO-4-KIDS, or 1-844-264-5437. The statewide system became operational on Jan. 1, 2015, and routes calls to the county where the child lives.

Douglas County also laid out warning signs that can signal physical abuse. Babies 4 months old or younger should never have a bruise. Bruising on the tummy, ears, neck or soft part of the cheek can also be concerning, especially when it does not match normal childhood activity. The county’s message was clear: the right call can open the door to help before a child is pushed deeper into harm.

The county has marked Child Abuse Prevention Month in 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2025, underscoring that this is a yearly accountability issue, not a one-time campaign. In 2019, Commissioner Abe Laydon summarized the county’s stance simply: if residents see something and are worried, they should make the call.