Tuscarawas County Child Advocacy Center

The primary goal of the Child Advocacy Center is to ensure that children disclosing abuse are not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. CAC’s are child-focused, facility-based programs in which representatives from many disciplines work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions on cases of child abuse. CAC models for child abuse intervention are proven and effective, bringing together trained professionals to investigate and provide medical and mental healthcare as well as support to child victims of abuse, while holding offenders accountable through the court system. CAC locations are child-focused and designed to create a sense of safety and security for child victims.

By using the CAC approach - the risk of re-traumatizing the child - while gathering important information is reduced; repeated interviews by different systems is avoided; and great care is taken to gain the most accurate information possible by using highly trained forensic interviewers. In addition, the team can act quickly and efficiently to determine if any immediate action is needed to protect the child. The interviews are done in a child-friendly setting, using proven techniques that are based on “best practices” over years of research and development. Further, it provides an opportunity to protect the community when a child abuse case goes to court - providing the prosecution with valuable information and admissible evidence.

The Tuscarawas County Child Advocacy Center is a member of the Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, and is an Associate Member of the National Children’s Alliance. The NCA is the national association and accrediting body for children’s advocacy centers around the country, dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient– and put the needs of child victims first.