Children’s Advocacy Center:
A Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-focused agency that follows the guidelines of the National Children’s Alliance in order to serve children and adults with developmental delays who have been the victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse or neglect. The center also serves children and vulnerable adults who have been the witnesses to a crime.
Children are referred to our CAC by law enforcement or Child Protective Services if there is an allegation or suspicion that a child is the victim of a crime or witness to a crime. Then each is given an appointment with a specially trained “listener”.
Every accredited CAC in the United States has Forensic Interviewers or “listeners” whose job it is to hear what each child has to say in a neutral, child-friendly and unbiased way. That conversation is videotaped so that he or she only has to share what happened to them one time, instead of re-living their experience again and again with multiple professionals asking questions.
That initial interview is the key to unlocking services that can lead to justice, hope and healing for the child and non-offending family and caregivers. Our Family Advocates provide support during investigations, through legal journeys and while clients are in therapy with trained Trauma Therapists.
Children’s Advocacy Center’s provide services to clients at a no cost. We raise money to be able to provide these services to children and the professionals investigating crimes against children without charge. We do this to ensure that any child who may have had something terrible happen to them, has a chance for their voice to be heard and the opportunity for rise about trauma and thrive.
