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goal for every child is a legally permanent home that gives a
child a sense of safety, security and the opportunity to form
healthy attachments to adults and a sense of belonging in a
family. The office receives assistance
from and collaborates with the court and
legal networks, advocacy groups, home care providers, and other agencies to achieve these ends.
What is the Child
Advocacy Program?
The Child Advocacy Program is a collaborative effort of the Westchester County Department of Social
Services, the District Attorney's Office,
the County Attorney's Office,
the Westchester
Medical Center, Saint Joseph's Medical
Center, and local Police Departments. The creation of the Advocacy Center
in 1998 was vital because it resolved the
long standing problem of having children who have been physically or sexually abused go
through numerous, separate interviews, often at different locations, causing unnecessary
emotional trauma to the child. It provided a way to
help minimize the trauma for the child while providing the agencies charged with
protecting the child with the information they need.
Related Links
U.S.
Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)
U. S. Administration for
Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services
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