CHILDREN’S HOME
CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER

Interview duration generally depends on the child’s age. Plan on one to two hours from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave.

Parents do not participate in or watch the interview.

Parents, guardians or caregivers do not sit with their child during the interview, nor do they watch the interview with the investigative team. This is the parents’ time to meet with our Child and Family Advocate. The Advocate will help answer any questions and help connect families and their children to any needed resources.

In many cases, child protection caseworkers and law enforcement are present at CAC during the interview. 

They will watch on a closed-circuit TV in a separate room to ensure that all necessary information is gathered. Any alleged offender is prohibited from being on site during the interview. 

A key component of our work is the multi-disciplinary team approach. 

This means that investigative and intervention services are coordinated to create a child-focused method of proceeding with child abuse cases. The team approach is designed from the child's point of view to help minimize the trauma of child abuse investigation and promote the healing process. The multi-disciplinary team includes representation from: law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health services, medical professionals, victim advocacy services, and Children's Home Child Advocacy Center.

Usually, your child will be interviewed by CAC once. 

In rare circumstances, more than one interview may be necessary. The caseworker, investigator, or both will discuss the situation if the need arises. The recorded interview can be used in court and adds to a child’s credibility, should they have to testify. The interview does not replace the child's testimony in court. Further legal or court appearances may still be necessary. 

What happens next varies case by case.

When the interview is done, the interviewer brings the child back to the waiting room. The team meets briefly to discuss the information disclosed and how to best help the child and family. The family also has time to ask any questions.

You will not receive a bill for the interview. 

If a medical examination is completed, the cost is covered by Medicaid or the investigating agency. The family is not responsible for co-pays at the time of the visit, although we do ask families to bring the child’s Medicaid card, if applicable, to the appointment. 

Yes! We complete the accreditation process every five years.

We are accredited by National Children's Alliance (NCA). Accredited membership in NCA requires that programs meet specific standards to ensure effective, efficient, and consistent delivery of services by CACs to child abuse victims throughout the country. Accredited centers must meet the national standards in each of these key areas: Multi-Disciplinary Team, Cultural Competency and Diversity, Forensic Interview, Victim Support and Advocacy, Medical Evaluation, Mental Health, Case Review, Case Tracking, Organizational Capacity, and Child-Focused Setting.