ELKINS – The local area just marked National Forensic Interviewers Week – a week-long recognition for the forensic interviewers at Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) for the work they’re doing with children daily when there is a disclosure or suspicion of abuse.

A CAC provides a safe, child-friendly facility where child protection, criminal justice, and child treatment professionals work together to investigate abuse, hold offenders accountable, and help children heal.

Last year, West Virginia’s 21 CACs served 4,734 children. Of those, 4,603 forensic interviews were conducted with 66% of children disclosing abuse.

Locally, the Randolph Tucker CAC conducted 84 forensic interviews. Even when a child does not disclose, the multidisciplinary team may still have good cause to investigate the reports that prompted the child’s services at the CAC.

Forensic interviews are the foundation for multiple CAC/Multidisciplinary Team functions including child abuse investigation, prosecution, child protection, and implementation of appropriate services, and may also be the beginning of the road toward healing for many children and families. The way a child is treated during the initial forensic interview may significantly impact the child’s understanding of, and ability to respond to, the intervention process and/or criminal justice system.

Every CAC adheres to research-based forensic interview guidelines. They must monitor these guidelines over time to ensure they reflect current practice and best standards. At a minimum, any professional in the role of forensic interviewer must have initial and ongoing forensic interviewer training that is approved by the National Children’s Alliance.

Forensic interviews are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviews and are conducted in a manner that is legally sound and of a neutral, fact-finding nature. This aims to prevent the added trauma to a child of re-telling their story to multiple agencies. When a child is unable or unwilling to provide information regarding any concern about abuse, other interventions to assess the children’s safety and experience are required.

Most forensic interviews conducted by Randolph Tucker CAC involved allegations of child sexual abuse. If you suspect abuse or want to learn how to help, please contact them.

Created by Guardify, a Digital Evidence Management System, National Forensic Interviewers Week has been honoring the work of forensic interviewers across the country for five years now.

To learn more about forensic interviews and the services at Randolph Tucker CAC, visit rtcac.org.