Welcome to Your 1st Visit at Hope House
You and your child have been asked to come to Children’s Advocacy Center – Hope House because child abuse has been suspected and reported, and is now being investigated. The CAC houses the professionals who will help you and your child with the investigation, advocacy, and the healing process.
What to Expect During Your First Visit
At Hope House, we want to ensure that your first visit is as comfortable and informative as possible. Our dedicated staff will guide you through each step of the process, answering any questions you may have along the way.
Forensic Interview
The first step in the investigation is usually a forensic interview. CAC interviewers are compassionate and highly trained in professional forensic interviewing protocols. They talk to children and teens at their developmental level. Interviews are neutral and child-friendly.
Meeting with a Investigator
You will also meet with an investigator. We work closely with local law enforcement agencies and the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services to ensure the investigative needs are met for your family.
Therapy, Advocacy, & More
When you come to the CAC Hope House, you’ll learn about other services, like therapy and advocacy, which may help you and your child during this time. Our clinicians are highly trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based treatment designed to significantly reduce the impact of childhood trauma.
Forensic Medical Exam
In some cases, a forensic medical exam will be needed. Forensic medical exams are conducted at the Audrey Hepburn CARE Center in New Orleans. If you are told that your child needs a forensic medical exam, your investigator or advocate will help you schedule an appointment and guide you the process of the forensic medical exam.
Testimonials
CAC Hope House is based on a nationally recognized model of care. The child advocacy center model has been shown to be a more child-friendly, effective community response to reported child abuse. We ask parents and caregivers about their experience at the center on a regular basis.
Jane Smith
Marketing Manager, XYZ Company
Mark Johnson
Founder, ABC Corporation
Emily Brown
HR Director, XYZ Inc.
Michael Johnson
COO, ABC Company
Sarah Thompson
Marketing Director, XYZ Corporation
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your first visit to Hope House.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to speak privately with the detective or child protection worker that is handling your case before you leave the Center. It is okay to ask if your child made a disclosure about the abuse, if there will be an arrest or what will happen next.
It’s important to give children and teens “space” in the aftermath of the interview yet making one’s self present and available should the child/teen indicate they are ready to discuss. Most of all, it’s important to support your child by affirming that they were courageous and “did the right thing” acknowledging that it may have been hard. It’s ill-advised to question you child either before or after an interview has taken place. This can have the effect of confusing children and it can also interfere with the investigation process. Additionally, even well-intentioned questions can result in re-traumatizing your child
The length of time an interview takes depends on several factors, such as the age of the child, the intensity and number of incidents that occurred. Sometimes a second interview is required.
There are many factors that need to be in place in order for an arrest to take place. May of those factors have to do with the strength of the evidence obtained. While the CAC assists with gathering information, we do not decide the outcome of cases. Thus, we often facilitate a dialogue between law enforcement or the District Attorney’s Office when victim’s raise concerns about their case status, such as whether or not an arrest will be made.
It is important to note, in the event of an arrest, your case will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office. Once an arrest has been made, you are encouraged to contact the DA’s office and inquire which District Attorney or Assistant District Attorney has been assigned to your child’s case. It will also be important to obtain a contact number for that person.
Join the Fight Against Child Abuse
Make a difference in the lives of abused children by donating or volunteering.
