What is the Children’s Advocacy Center?

The Chester County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-focused center that coordinates the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse while helping children heal. The CAC brings together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to create a child-focused approach to child abuse cases. The MDT consists of members representing the District Attorney’s Office, Department of Children, Youth & Families, Law Enforcement, The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc., Chester County Juvenile Probation, Chester County Adult Probation, Department of Mental Health/Intellectual Development Disabilities, and experts in the medical field. The CAC was created to provide a private, safe, non-threatening environment to conduct interviews of child victims or witnesses.

The CAC has a private waiting area for children and those accompanying them that is child-friendly and comfortably furnished. Offenders are not permitted in this area. The CAC is designed to create a sense of safety and security for children. 

Show All Answers

1. What is the Children’s Advocacy Center?
2. What is child abuse?
3. Who is a mandated reporter and what is their responsibility?
4. What should I do if a student tells me they are being abused?
5. What is Childline?
6. What is CYF?
7. What is the Crime Victims’ Center (CVC)?
8. What is a forensic interviewer?
9. How is a forensic interview conducted?
10. What is the multidisciplinary team (MDT)?
11. Will my child see their abuser at the Justice Center or in the CAC?
12. What if my child needs mental health help?
13. If my child was abused, how soon should he/she see a doctor?
14. What kind of medical examination will my child need if he/she was sexually abused?
15. How will the criminal justice system handle my child’s abuser?