| ABUSED CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY Phone: (205) 338-8847 |
 The Children's Place serves as a
centralized location where child victims, non-offending family members, and agency
officials involved in child sexual and serious physical abuse investigations come together
to coordinate their services. Here, the difficult process of evaluating, intervening and
evidence gathering can take place in a non-threatening environment, thus reducing
trauma on the child. The child's initial interview is monitored via closed
circuit television by a Multidisciplinary Team that consists of representatives of one or
more of the following agencies: the district attorney's office, the department of human
resources, juvenile probation, law enforcement and various private therapeutic groups.
Typically, prior to and immediately following the child's interview, the parents meet with the Multidisciplinary Team, refered to as PACT (Professionals Against Child Trauma). The initial meeting is necessary to discuss the allegations, to gain insight into the parent's impression of the allegation, to understand the child's developmental level, and to obtain information for collaborating the child's story. Following the interview, the team meets with the parent and confirms or rejects their initial impression of the allegation. They also discuss ensuing steps, such as subsequent interviews with the alleged perpetrator, and possible prosecution. Medical and therapeutic referrals are made at this time.
Main sources of funding: local contributions, state appropriation, The National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, and United Way of Central Alabama.
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There
are several components to a child's interview, such as obtaining information regarding the
child's developmental level, testing the child's ability to discern between the truth and
a lie, extrapolation of alleged abuse, unfolding the child's expectations, and closure to
the interview. More than one interview is occasionally necessary.
Offered free of
charge, this service is available when a report of sexual or serious physical abuse is
filed through the department of human resources, law enforcement agencies or the district
attorney's office. Criterion for using this service is that the child either resides in
St. Clair County or the incident happened in St. Clair county; however, courtesy
interviews are conducted upon request for other counties which do not have Advocacy
Centers.