The Child Abuse Prevention Effort (CAPE) is a nonprofit, charitable organization offering prevention programs that specifically address issues of child abuse and neglect. It was founded on January 18, 1973 by the late Honorable Judge Lisa Richette after she saw too many of Philadelphia's children hurt or neglected by their parents or caregivers.

Starting in 1976, CAPE contracted with the Department of Human Services (DHS) of the City of Philadelphia, and from 1985 through 2008, maintained a contract with DHS to provide direct intervention to families at risk of abuse and/or neglect through the Services to Children in their Own Homes (SCOH) program. In 2002, the Department of Human Services honored CAPE with its Children's Crusader Award, which recognizes excellence in the protection of children and the prevention of abuse and neglect. In 2002 and 2003, GlaxoSmithKline selected CAPE as a recipient of its prestigious International IMPACT Award, honoring CAPE's service and long-term commitment to bettering the lives of children in the Delaware Valley. Since 2004, CAPE has been a member of the Philadelphia Parenting Collaborative and has been awarded annual contracts from DHS to provide parenting workshops to incarcerated men at The Kintock Group.

In January 2009, CAPE became an affiliate of NorthEast Treatment Centers (NET), one of the oldest and largest behavioral health and social services agencies in the Philadelphia region. CAPE is one of the few organizations in Philadelphia started by volunteers without the benefit of a grant or an endowment.