Society has taken great strides toward ensuring the safety and well-being of all children — and in some emotionally charged or dangerous situations involving kids, organizations like the local Child Advocacy Center (CAC) are there to fill in the gap. Here is what you need to know about how CACs operate and the assistance they provide to protect children.
What Is the Purpose of a Child Advocacy Center?
Child Advocacy Centers provide children who are suspected to be victims of abuse or neglect with necessary services and support. The workers at CACs receive specialized training to support and protect children, allowing them to disclose abuse, receive medical care, and access therapeutic services. Through working with law enforcement, child protective services, and mental health professionals, CACs help children process whatever trauma they might have experienced.
How Does a Child Advocacy Center Operate?
By design, Child Advocacy Centers put the child’s well-being and comfort first. When a parent, mandatory reporter, or other concerned party brings a child to a CAC, a trained professional who knows how to interact in a sensitive and age-appropriate manner interviews the children. To reduce any undue stress, the centers often record these interviews to reduce the number of times the children need to recount their experiences.
CAC-employed pediatricians also examine the children to detect signs of abuse or neglect.
Why Are Child Advocacy Centers Important in DCPP Cases?
In New Jersey, when a medical examination by CAC pediatricians uncovers potential signs of abuse or neglect, the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) can open a case to investigate the child’s well-being and living situation.
However, the CAC’s involvement does not stop when the DCPP starts; throughout the entire legal process, Child Advocacy Centers help ensure that all involved parties meet the child’s needs in a compassionate and systematic way. They aid in the investigation while offering critical support services to the families involved. In a lot of cases, this support means counseling for the child and their family, helping them cope with the emotional aftermath of the investigation.
How Can a Lawyer Help in DCPP Cases Involving a Child Advocacy Center?
When you or your loved ones have to deal with DCPP cases that involve a child advocacy center, consider hiring a knowledgeable and compassionate DCPP lawyer in South Jersey. Especially if your own child is under investigation, the process can feel emotionally, mentally, and even financially taxing — an experienced attorney can guide you through the legal nuances and shoulder that legal burden so you can focus on protecting your child.
Additionally, if the DCPP attorneys recommend a course of action that might not be in your child’s best interests, your attorney can challenge those recommendations, help protect your child’s well-being, and preserve your family’s unity.
Protect Your Family With the South Jersey DCPP Lawyers at the Law Offices of Theodore J. Baker
Child Advocacy Centers in South Jersey provide essential support and services to children involved in abuse or neglect cases. If your family is involved in an investigation, a collaborative approach between your skilled attorney, the Department of Child Protection and Permanency, and the CAC will help protect your children and prevent any unnecessary trauma. Contact the South Jersey DCPP lawyers at the Law Offices of Theodore J. Baker for assistance. Call us at 856-210-9776 or complete our online form for an initial consultation. Our office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, serves clients in South Jersey, including Haddonfield, Marlton, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, and Voorhees.
