About Us

History
At the initiative of Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating, an Advisory Board was created in November 2000 to bring a wide range of public and private agencies together to discuss the creation, development and implementation of a child-focused program to address the needs of child abuse victims and their families. Across Massachusetts and the United States, Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC’s) are in the forefront of child abuse intervention. CAC’s are distinguished by their multi-disciplinary, team-oriented and victim-friendly response to child abuse cases. Since the inception of the first CAC in 1985 in Huntsville, Alabama, the number of Children’s Advocacy Centers has grown to over 400 nationally. A variety of program models exist in the United States today; many operate as non-profit organizations, while others operate under the sponsoring umbrella of a particular organization such as a prosecutor’s office, hospital or mental health agency. District Attorney Keating initiated the effort to establish a Children’s Advocacy Center in Norfolk County, which is now called Norfolk Advocates for Children.

Who We Are
Norfolk Advocates for Children is a public and private partnership of more than 50 agencies, including social service agencies, local hospitals, state agencies, court departments, private mental health and medical professionals, and 27 police departments in Norfolk County and the Norfolk County District Attorney. These participating agencies contribute many resources, services and consultation to ensure that NAC reaches its goals.

• To minimize the number of times that abused children are interviewed
• To provide a swift and sensitive response to child abuse victims and their families
• To facilitate coordination and collaboration between community agencies
• To ensure that comprehensive services are available to meet the needs of child abuse victims and their families in Norfolk County

• Joint interviews and prosecution
• Victim advocacy
• Medical Exams
• Mental health referrals
• Case review and tracking
• Education, training and resources for the community on topics related to child abuse and family violence

Norfolk Advocates for Children is an Associate Member of the National Children’s Alliance and will apply for full accreditation within the next year.