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What is a Child Advocacy Center?
Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) are child-friendly, safe, and supportive places that provide services for children and families who have been affected by sexual or physical abuse. The CAC model brings together a team of professionals (our “multi-disciplinary team”) to work in the best interest of the child while investigating, prosecuting, and treating child abuse.
What can happen at the Child Advocacy Center?
Forensic Interview
Forensic Medical Exam
Family Advocacy
A forensic interview is a video and audio-recorded talk that allows a child to answer non-leading, trauma-informed questions from a professional when the child may have experienced abuse or witnessed a crime.
A forensic medical exam is a thorough head-to-toe exam that is like a normal check-up at a pediatrician’s office. It takes place in a child-friendly room and is not painful.
Our Family Advocates are here to provide support before and after the forensic interview and to educate the caregivers on the services available to their child and themselves.
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First Light’s Partners
Our partners, who work together in a group called the “multidisciplinary team”, help us make sure that the child’s needs come first when we are investigating, prosecuting, and treating abuse. We have a team in Anderson and a team in Oconee all working together for the best interest of our community’s children. Some of our team members are listed below.
10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Oconee County Sheriff’s Office
Anderson City Police Department
Anderson County Department of Social Services
Oconee County Department of Social Services
Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Mental Health Center
SC Guardian Ad Litem Program
AnMed Health
PRISMA Health
South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice