Non-profit - Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center

Non-profit - Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center

Written by Whitney Broadwell Sunday, 07 January 2007

Children’s center helps victims of abuse

At first glance, the waiting room of the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center looks a lot like a neighborhood day care center. Comfortable chairs and colorful children’s drawings line the walls, as well as a mural of an idyllic forest scene with animals.

“We want the kids that come here to feel comfortable from the moment they walk through the door,” Jerri Jones, executive director, said. “This is a child-friendly space.”

Located in a small house on University Avenue in Georgetown, the Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization. In operation since 1998, the center works in tandem with other agencies, such as police and Child Protective Services. It provides vital assistance for children in Williamson County who have been victims of abuse or witnesses to abuse and other crimes.

Despite the name, the center is not a government-run facility. With a small, but dedicated staff of trained interviewers, the center provides a safe environment for children to come and talk about possible abuse. The waiting room in the small house leads into a play room, a small kitchenette with snacks for waiting parents and guardians, and an interview room with stuffed animals ready to comfort children who feel anxious while at the center.

Children usually come to the center under stressful circumstances, but the staff does their best to make the children comfortable. The children’s statements taken in the interview room, from children three to 17, are recorded so they are not required to repeat their story multiple times. County police and prosecutors then use these interviews as evidence in alleged abuse cases.

Round Rock Detective John Combs says the center is vital to the community because the interviewers know how to ask questions without leading the child, especially a very young child, which is important to building a strong case of abuse.

The staff is specially trained to avoid leading questions that can often cause a case to be thrown out of court. Combs also praises the supportive environment the center provides for children.

“Before we had the center, we had to take children to the police station,” he said, “which can be very difficult for a child.”

The staff has interviewed almost 500 children in 2006, a significant increase from past years. Jones says part of the reason is the rapid growth of Williamson County and an overall increase in reported abuse cases.

“We have also partnered with more agencies in the county that use us as a place to interview children who may have witnessed crimes,” she said.

Because of the growth, the Advocacy Center is set to expand from its current building to a 7,500 sq. ft. space on the Inner Loop in Georgetown near the Juvenile Justice Center.

“With our new facility,” Jones said, “we will be able to accommodate many more families, expand our on-site counseling services, and provide medical exams to children who need it.”

If you suspect child abuse or neglect:

• DO listen to the child and be aware of your reactions
• DO report child abuse suspicions to law enforcement or the Texas Child Abuse Hotline # 1-800-252-5400
• DO NOT try to investigate or obtain information from others
• DO NOT confront the accused abuser or notify anyone other than authorities

Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center, 406 W. University Ave., Georgetown, TX 78626, 512-930-1933, http://wcportals.wilco.org/cac/