Why are CACs vital?
When a child experiences abuse, they need safety, support and a path toward healing. Local Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) provide that lifeline, offering child-friendly spaces where children can be heard, families can find support, and Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) can work together to pursue justice and healing. Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas strengthens this work statewide by providing training, funding, advocacy and leadership to the professionals serving children on the front lines every day.
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Without CACs, a child may be forced to relive the most traumatic experience of their life again and again — repeating their story to doctors, law enforcement, attorneys and investigators.
This repeated retelling can deepen their trauma and make an already overwhelming situation even harder, and without CACs, they may also lack access to the long-term resources they need to truly heal and thrive. |
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With CACs, the child is brought to a safe, child-focused environment by a caregiver or other “safe” adult. The child tells his or her story once to a trained interviewer who knows the right questions to ask and a group of professionals called a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) makes decisions together about how to help the child.
CACs offer a wide range of services like therapy, medical exams, courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management and more. |