When there are concerns that a child has experienced sexual abuse, everyone investigating the case needs to collect information from the child. Being asked to recall and share experiences over and over again can be further traumatizing for children and families. Children’s Advocacy Centers are here to offer support for children and families, to help coordinate and streamline investigative processes, and to minimize trauma to children through specialized interviews.
What is a Child Forensic Interview?As part of a child abuse investigation, it is important to gather detailed and accurate information from the child. This information is gathered through a ‘forensic interview’, which is a conversation between a child and a nationally trained professional who specializes in working with children. The information collected is recorded and shared with investigative partners to assist in completing a comprehensive investigation.
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What is a Children’s Advocacy Center?Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) seek to provide more supportive, child-friendly, and trauma-informed approaches to investigating concerns of child sexual abuse and exploitation. When police, child protective services, or the District Attorney’s office believes a child may be being abused or exploited, they contact their local CAC for assistance.
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The child (or children) and their safe parents/caregivers will be invited to visit the CAC - a warm, child-friendly atmosphere staffed by advocates and forensic interviewers who specialize in supporting children and their families. While at the CAC, a specially trained child forensic interviewer will interview the child about what happened. The forensic interviewer knows how to talk to children of all developmental levels, and with the child’s knowledge, will record the interview while child protective services, police, and prosecutors observe from another room. They are the only ones who are allowed to see the recording. While the child is interviewed, their safe parents/caregivers will meet with a family advocate to receive information about specialized medical services that may be available, as well as other supports and resources in their community.
This streamlined approach to interviewing helps children feel more safe and comfortable engaging in the process, and minimizes the number of times that they need to talk about the concerns that have come up.
This streamlined approach to interviewing helps children feel more safe and comfortable engaging in the process, and minimizes the number of times that they need to talk about the concerns that have come up.
