Barnstable, MA (December 17, 2019) – Children’s Cove, the Child Advocacy Center for the Cape & Islands, has been awarded accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process.
As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision. This is the third consecutive period of national accreditation for Children’s Cove.
A department of Barnstable County, Children’s Cove has been the Cape and Island’s Child Advocacy Center since 1997, providing coordinated and comprehensive multidisciplinary services to child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, witness to domestic violence and child sexual exploitation and trafficking. In addition to direct services to child victims of crimes and their non-offending families, Children’s Cove provides education and training to the community on how to prevent abuse as well as more easily identify abuse against children.
National Children’s Alliance awards Accredited Membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation. National Children’s Alliance updated these standards in 2017 to reflect the most recent evidence-based practices in the field of child abuse intervention and prevention. According to these standards, Accredited Members must utilize a functioning and effective Multidisciplinary Team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution, and treatment. National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and child-focused setting.
“As an organization and team of individuals dedicated to responding to child abuse, we recognize the importance of accreditation from National Children’s Alliance and supporting the Multidisciplinary Team approach. Accreditation not only validates our proven effective approach to responding to allegations of child abuse, but also provides consistency across the child advocacy center movement as a whole,” said Stacy Gallagher, Director of Children’s Cove
“Children’s Cove is to be commended for its excellent work serving victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration,” remarked Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of National Children’s Alliance.
For more information about Children’s Cove, visit www.ChildrensCove.org
Children’s Cove, a department of Barnstable County, has been the Cape and the Island’s Child Advocacy Center since 1997. Children’s Cove provides coordinated and comprehensive multidisciplinary services to child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, witness to domestic violence and child sexual exploitation and trafficking. To learn more visit www.ChildrensCove.org
National Children’s Alliance makes one big difference, one child and one voice at a time. As the nonprofit association and accrediting body providing comprehensive care through hundreds of Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide, we unify and amplify our voices to command better outcomes. With a forward-thinking approach that stays at the forefront of every child’s future, we are the beginning of child abuse’s end. For more information, visit nationalchildrensalliance.org.
