On April 14, 2026, more than 70 people filled the steps of San Francisco City Hall on Polk Street for a Child Abuse Prevention Month press conference and rally, the first SF City Hall event of its kind in years. Every April since 1983, communities across the nation have recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Dressed in blue, in solidarity with children and families, the crowd gathered to send a unified message: when families are supported, children are safer.
The program, emceed by Safe & Sound CEO Dr. Pegah Faed, featured an impressive lineup: parent and Richmond Neighborhood Center staff member Tiffany Duncan; Supervisors Sherrill, Mandelman, Melgar, Chen, Wong, Sauter, and Mahmood; Human Services Agency Deputy Director Joan Miller; parent leader and SF Fatherhood Initiative founder Joey Cordero; and Family Services Alliance co-chair Mario Paz of Good Samaritan Family Resource Center.
Supervisor Sherrill, who sponsored the event and the Board of Supervisors resolution recognizing April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, set the tone: “When we talk about public safety here in this city, we have to talk about prevention. No parent knows how to be a parent when their first child is born — it’s a learned skill. Today is about standing up and saying help is here, but we need to provide more.”
The stakes are real. In 2025, more than 4,300 children in San Francisco were the subject of a report of abuse or neglect, and 431 had allegations substantiated. Human Services Agency Deputy Director Joan Miller said, “Prevention works when families have support, resources, and someone to call; children stay safer and they stay together with their families. Together we can continue working towards a San Francisco where families have what they need to thrive and every child grows up safe and supported.”
But here’s what also matters: prevention works. Over the last 20 years, San Francisco has seen a 64% reduction in child abuse and a 51% drop in foster care entries, the direct result of sustained investment in family support. Mario Paz, co-chair of the Family Services Alliance and Executive Director of Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, challenged every leader present to hold the line for children even in tight budget times: “We are here today because there’s no greater commitment in the city than ensuring every child feels safe, protected, loved, and cared for. We cannot retreat from that commitment.”
$333 million. That’s how much child abuse and neglect cost San Francisco in 2025 — across healthcare, child welfare, criminal justice, and a lifetime of lost potential for 431 children. When we invest in family support services, we build the conditions that prevent abuse and neglect before they start and we spend less, save more, and keep children safer. Safe & Sound CEO Dr. Pegah Faed reminded us: “Too often, families are pulled into costly systems when what they really need is support, such as stable housing, child care, or mental health services. Prevention is not just the morally right thing to do, it’s the fiscally responsible choice.”
The voices of parents were at the heart of the rally. Tiffany Duncan, a parent and staff member at Richmond Neighborhood Center, spoke to what community support actually feels like from the inside: “Experiencing support from Safe & Sound has made me more confident as a parent, and has helped me reach out, instead of being afraid to ask for help.” Family support builds five proven protective factors, parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, children’s social and emotional competence, and concrete support in times of need. When those factors are present, children are safer and families are stronger.
San Francisco has built something real: a network of 45 family support organizations, city departments, public safety partners, and community advocates all working together so that families have what they need before a crisis. The rally on April 14 was a reminder that this network is made of people, neighbors, parents, case workers, and supervisors, who show up because they believe every child in this city deserves to be safe.
Because when we care together, families thrive.
Read more about the accompanying SF Board of Supervisors CAP month resolution and Safe & Sound’s economics of child abuse report..
Thank you to everyone who made this event possible.
City Departments: Human Services Agency · Department on the Status of Women · Department of Early Childhood · Department of Children, Youth and Their Families · Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development · Department of Public Health · Human Rights Commission · Mayor’s Office for Victims’ Rights
Elected Officials: Supervisor Sherrill · Board President Mandelman · Supervisor Melgar · Supervisor Chen · Supervisor Wong · Supervisor Sauter · Supervisor Mahmood · and all members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors · Representatives from Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani’s office
Public Safety & Justice Partners: San Francisco Police Department, Assistant Commander Jonas and Lieutenant Tony Flores · Children’s Advocacy Center of San Francisco · Child Death Review Team · Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Multi-Disciplinary Team · District Attorney Victims’ Services Division · Family Violence Council
Parents & Community: Tiffany Duncan · Joey Cordero · Mario Paz, Good Samaritan Family Resource Center · The 45 member organizations of the Family Services Alliance · All our countless community partners and parents · Safe & Sound Staff