Champaign County Children's Advocacy Center

Parents & Clients Info

Dear Parents/Caregivers
What is the Children's Advocacy Center?
What is Child Sexual Abuse?
The Offender & Steps They Take to Access Children
What Are the Effects of Sexual Abuse on My Child?
How Should I Act Toward My Child?
How Parents Sometimes Feel When Abuse Has Been Reported
The Investigation & Facts About the Investigation
Your Team of Professionals
What Happens in Criminal Court?
What To Say To Others
Comments You Can Expect From Others About the Abuse
Related Documents

DEAR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS,

We understand that this is a very difficult time for you. Any hint or suspicion of abuse of your child causes many strong and confusing emotions. The process of determining what happened to your child and how to proceed from there may seem quite overwhelming.

It is our job to work together to reduce the number of times your child will have to be interviewed and to ensure that your family receives swift, necessary support.

Our goals are to:

• Do the best job possible in finding out what happened.
• Work with the legal system to help your child.
• Help you understand the child protective and legal systems.
• Help make the process as comfortable as possible for you.
• Help your children and family begin to heal.

We hope this Guide will help you understand more about child sexual abuse and the system we use to respond to a report of abuse.  Please call us if you have any questions.

Note:  the use of gender pronouns (i.e., she, he, him, her) throughout this Guide is intended to be neutral and no inferences should be drawn from their usage.

Revised August, 2010

If you suspect abuse, call your local police department or
the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873)