A Children's Advocacy Center is a comprehensive, child-focused program based in a facility that allows law enforcement, child protection professionals, prosecutors, victim advocates, and the mental health and medical communities to work together when intervening in child abuse cases. The goal of all CACs is to make sure that children are not further victimized by systems designed to protect them.
Children usually do not want to get the person who is hurting them in trouble; they just simply want them to stop. The CAC is a neutral place to bring children where they only have to tell their story one time. In years prior to CACs, children were interviewed at police departments and the local DHS.
The CAC also provides a meeting space for the Sequoyah County Child Abuse Task Force members who are responsible for investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases. These professionals include medical experts, interview specialists, detectives, child welfare investigators, mental health personnel, and prosecutors. All members of the Task Force are highly trained professionals, working together in order to determine if abuse has occurred. These members meet bi-monthly to staff and track cases throughout Sequoyah County.
As of October 6, 2006, the Children's Advocacy Center has been accredited with the National Children's Alliance. Visit www.nationalcac.org to learn more about the NCA.
