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The Claudia Fairbanks Children’s Advocacy Center of the
Child Abuse Council of Muskegon
MISSION OF THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER
Our mission is to protect and assist victims of reported child abuse, utilizing a program of collaborative intervention in a child-friendly setting.
WHAT IS THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER?
A Children’s Advocacy Center is a comprehensive, child-focused, program based in a facility that allows law enforcement, child protective professionals, prosecutors, child victim advocates and the medical and mental health communities to work together in a multidisciplinary team to investigate child abuse cases.
As part of an abuse investigation, a child may need to be interviewed by law enforcement or child protective professionals. The Advocacy Center is a child-friendly, safe place where interviews take place. Our facility has two interview rooms equipped with a closed circuit television system. This allows other team members to watch the interview from another room – reducing the number of time a child needs to tell their story. Interviewers are specially trained in how to properly interview children.
Along with coordinating the investigation, the Advocacy Center offers the following services:
- Counseling is available for children and their families free of charge. It is often beneficial for children to receive counseling to process any trauma and to identify sexual acting out behaviors. Parents can find support and understand how best to meet their child’s many needs.
- A child may be referred for a medical examination. Specially trained medical professionals conduct these exams at the Center.
- A child may be assessed to help determine whether they may have been sexually abused.
- The Center can help prepare a child and their family for court. A child can benefit from having an opportunity to ask questions about the court process as well as to see the courtroom.
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