Child Victim Advocate Program

What is a Child Victim Advocate?
The Child Victim Advocate works to ensure that the needs of a child who has experienced abuse or neglect are met. Support services such as providing referrals, explaining the legal process and accompanying the child and non-offending family members to court, police, medical and therapeutic sessions are just some of the things an advocate does.

To receive an advocate's assistance, your child must be under 18 and allege that he or she has been the victim of abuse.

The Advocate:

• Assists in filing crime victim's compensation claims with the New York State Crime Victims Board.
• Accompanies the child and family to court, police, medical and treatment appointments.
• Makes appropriate treatment referrals.
• Offers emotional support to the child and family throughout the duration of the case.
• Acts as an intermediary with police, social workers, physicians, district attorneys and all other professionals involved.
• Assists in writing the victim impact statement that a judge can use when determining sentence.
• Works with the Child Advocacy Center of Nassau County to reduce the number of interviews a child faces.
• Offers peer support and socialization groups, such as Project Kidz Talk©, for children and their non-offending parent/guardian so they can share similar interests and concerns.

Why does the Advocate help?
It is important to help the child and non-offending family members recover quickly from the physical and emotional trauma caused by abuse. Effects may not be immediately experienced by the child. Behavioral and emotional problems often develop as a child grows into an adolescent or as a teenager grows into an adult. Appropriate treatment, facilitated by the advocate, can help ensure your child’s healthy emotional and physical development and well-being, as well as your own.

You don’t have to be alone.

CCAN’s Child Victim Advocate Program has the resources to help you and your child. Contact us.