A pinwheel is typically a symbol of childlike innocence, but the Community Partnership for Protecting Children in Washington and Keokuk Counties have been using it to promote Child Abuse Prevention Month. The CPPC have been using pinwheels in several ways to show the joyful, carefree childhood all children deserve, according to director Megan Richardson. The work of the CPPC is more crucial now than ever, as the Department of Human Services (DHS) has had a decline in funding in recent years. Washington Schools Superintendent Jeff Dicks testified at a state senate hearing on DHS services. Dicks comments on DHS, “I think they said since Governor Branstad’s been in [the office] a second time, which is 2011 I believe, that DHS is down over a thousand workers statewide so obviously you’re seeing things that can’t be addressed.”

Washington County Sheriff Jared Schneider says so far this year there has been four reports, one resulting in an arrest. Last year, had 14 reports, which Schneider believes several of them resulted in arrests. Richardson says the CPPC’s main goal this month is to raise awareness that child abuse is preventable and everyone can play a part. This Saturday was National Tie One day, where people were encouraged to wear an ugly tie as part of a national campaign to show there is “Nothing Uglier than Child Abuse”.