Every Child Deserves a Safe Place to Be Heard
A Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a welcoming, child-friendly space where children who have experienced abuse or trauma can speak with trained professionals, receive care, and begin the healing process—all in one location. CACs are designed to reduce the stress of investigations by providing a coordinated, compassionate response.
Across Connecticut, 10 accredited Child Advocacy Centers work as a unified network, ensuring that children and families get the help they need quickly and effectively.
What is a Child Advocacy Center?
Instead of visiting multiple agencies, children go to a CAC—one safe place—where a specially trained forensic interviewer speaks with the child, then works with a team of professionals, ensuring the child doesn’t have to retell their story over and over.
CACs provide:
• Forensic interviews in a safe, neutral environment
Forensic interviews are neutral, non-biased and aimed at eliciting facts from children in a developmentally appropriate manner.
• Medical evaluations and mental health referrals
Coordinate medical exams. When necessary, child advocacy centers will ensure that children receive appropriate medical attention.
• Family advocacy and ongoing case support
Offer victim support and advocacy to clients throughout the investigation and legal proceedings. Conduct case tracking to monitor case progress.
• Victim assistance services
Offer mental health services for victims and their families.
• Coordination among agencies like law enforcement, child protection, prosecutors, and healthcare providers
Coordinate a multidisciplinary team for response to child abuse allegations.
CACs in Connecticut also adhere to national and state standards to ensure the highest quality of care, including the NCA Standards for Accreditation, CT MDT Standards, MDT Standardized Protocols, and NCA Putting Standards into Practice.
Why the MDT Model Works
The multidisciplinary team (MDT) is the heart of the CAC model. It brings together professionals from law enforcement, child protective services, medical and mental health care, and victim advocacy to collaborate on each case.
This approach:
- Reduces trauma by eliminating repeated interviews and unnecessary delays
- Improves outcomes through shared expertise and evidence-based practices
- Ensures holistic support for children and non-offending caregivers
- In 2024, Connecticut’s CAC network served 2,004 children and over 4,500 family members, ensuring every case was handled with care and precision.
GRAPHIC OF HOW THE MDT WORKS
Find a Child Advocacy Center Near You
Every county in Connecticut is served by a CAC.
