Child Advocacy Center
Who We Are
The CHKD Child Advocacy Center is dedicated to providing expert forensic medicals evaluations, forensic interviews, mental health treatment, and advocacy services for children who may have experienced maltreatment and trauma as well as support for their families.
Accredited by National Children’s Alliance since 2003, the center is a child-friendly facility where law enforcement, child protection, medical, mental health, judicial, and victim advocacy professionals collaborate to provide a multidisciplinary response to child abuse and neglect concerns. The goal is to prevent further trauma and build resilience in children and families.
Operated by CHKD since 1998, the center cares for more than 2,700 children each year at locations in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News. The team, which includes board-certified child abuse pediatricians, forensic and mental health experts, and family advocates, provides compassionate, evidence-based care. This care honors each child’s unique circumstances and cultural background, empowering families and promoting justice, equity, hope, and resilience within the community.
Child Advocacy Center Services
CHKD Child Advocacy Center is a child-focused program where representatives from multiple disciplines collaborate to best help, support, and protect children and families when abuse is suspected. As a CAC, we only accept referrals from investigative and other multidisciplinary partner agencies that address child abuse.
We provide the following services to children and their families:
Hampton Roads Trauma Informed Community Network
The Child Advocacy Center is the backbone organization for the Hampton Roads Trauma Informed Community Network (HRTICN). HRTICN exists to promote understanding of how trauma affects individuals and communities, and to advocate practices that help all people reach their full potential. The network works to increase awareness of the presence, prevalence, and impact of traumatic stress; facilitate the adoption of trauma-informed policies and practices among care providers; and develop a cross-sector collaborative to create a trauma-responsive community of providers. HRTICN addresses the impacts of family violence, child abuse, neglect, and poverty in Hampton Roads. We ensure services and education occur in environments built around safety, trust, transparency, peer support, collaboration and mutuality, empowerment, voice and choice, and the recognition of cultural, historical, and gender issues.
How Child Advocacy Centers Help Kids
How do Children's Advocacy Centers help kids? With a community of caring professionals rallying around them, victims of child abuse are able to get the care and services they need, all in one place. Learn more in this video from the National Children's Alliance.