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OREM — A group of children excitedly stuck pinwheels in the ground Thursday afternoon, creating the shape of a larger pinwheel on the front lawn outside Family Haven's building.
Those children were likely not aware that the pinwheels represent the playfulness and joy of childhood.
April has historically been National Child Abuse Prevention Month, but this year it took on a new name: Family Strengthening Month. To kick off the celebration, Family Haven, 1255 N. 1200 West in Orem, hosted the pinwheel activity, inviting the community to plant a pinwheel to show commitment to building strong families.
Janelle Christensen, executive director of the nonprofit, said the change in name for the month's focus brings a more positive outlook to caring for the safety of children and parents. She said the goal is to support each piece of the family and help create happy and healthy families.
"We're looking to do more than just prevent abuse and neglect, but to really ensure that families are supported as have resources that they need," she said.
Christensen explained that the pinwheel garden in front of Family Haven is a physical representation of the organization's commitment to providing support to families and children in the community.
Throughout the rest of Family Strengthening Month, Family Haven will have a presentation designed for children to help them recognize and prevent abuse, as well as an activity to help parents learn about stress relief and coping skills.
The nonprofit provides tools that are accessible to anyone in the community including prevention programs, treatment programs for victims of abuse, parenting classes, and a nursery that is available 24/7 for parents who are dealing with a crisis or just need a break.
"We can be a safety net and be available for them to have access to child care when they feel like they may not be the safest person to care for their kids or when they have a medical emergency," Christensen said.
She said they realize that parenting is hard for everyone, and there are times when parents need a break. The nursery is supported by some staff, along with help from community volunteers.
"Families really are the foundation of our society, and the past couple of years have put significant strain on the family unit, so each positive interaction in the family, no matter how small, contributes to the resilience of individuals in difficult times and creates a safe haven for children in a challenging world," Christensen said.
She encourages people to do even one small positive thing with their children, as it can make a difference in building relationships.
Kay Lindsay brought her daughter, a granddaughter and some great-grandchildren to Family Haven on Friday and helped them put pinwheels into the garden. She was introduced to the organization while she was a juvenile court judge. Now that she has retired, she's involved as a member of their board of directors.
When asked what people can do to strengthen their family, Lindsay said simply, "Time spent together."
She said she taught her children and grandchildren how to solve problems by telling stories and talking about possible solutions to situations in stories. She would think ahead to find stories to share during drives that would teach them a certain moral.
The Children's Service Society of Utah is another organization recognizing Family Strengthening Month and noted the "positive spin" in the change from Child Abuse Prevention Month.
"Local child welfare and social service agencies made the change to focus on what partners and parents are doing right to strengthen families and build protective factors for our children," a news release from the society says.
The organization, which also works with the Division of Child and Family Services, helps families who are raising the child of a relative and provides support and resources to them. It will host a virtual activity on April 18 where people will be invited to plant flowers and learn about preventing child abuse.
DCFS has been at the helm of the change in name for the month's focus. The Utah agency's director, Diane Moore, said when parents have what they need, children are almost always safe.
"When we care about the safety of children, then we must equally care about the well-being of the adults in those children's lives," she said in the Children's Service Society's news release. "I love the new focus on family strengthening in April."
