How We Help

Safe Spot provides services to help children and families affected by sexual abuse or severe physical abuse.


Forensic Interviews

After possible abuse is reported, the child is interviewed one-on-one in Safe Spot's interview room. Our interviewers are trained in ways to gather information without leading or upsetting the child. The interview is recorded, and investigators can watch the interview from our observation room as it happens.


Medical Evaluations

A medical examiner checks the child's health and looks for evidence of injuries. The exam is performed in a child-friendly room and is not invasive or painful.


Mental Health Care

One of Safe Spot's contracted therapists conducts a trauma assessment to find out how abuse may have affected the child. After assessment, the therapist uses an evidence-based treatment to help the child recover. In some cases, non-offending family members may also participate in therapy.


Child and Family Advocacy

Safe Spot's victim advocate answers questions, provides support and connects children and families to needed services. Our advocate is the family's "point of first contact" with the center and will serve as their guide throughout the process. If the case goes to court, our advocate helps prepare the child and family.


Team Case Review

Safe Spot's multidisciplinary team meets regularly to coordinate investigations and victim care. The team also works together to improve the community's response to child abuse cases. Click here to find out more about our multidisciplinary team.

Child Advocacy Centers: A Better Response to Abuse

Safe Spot is one of more than 800 accredited child advocacy centers across the U.S. Accredited child advocacy centers provide many benefits to children, families and the community at large:

Better for Children

  • Fewer interviews. Abused children shouldn't have to tell their stories over and over. At Safe Spot, DSS, law enforcement and prosecutors work together, reducing the number of interviews the child victim must endure.
  • A child friendly environment. Safe Spot is bright, cheery and welcoming. It's more comfortable and more private than a police station or office.
  • Increased referral to support services. Children served by child advocacy centers are more than twice as likely to receive the services they need to heal.
  • Ongoing care. Safe Spot tracks cases over time to be sure victims continue to get the services they need, even after DSS and criminal investigations are closed.
  • Better emotional and physical health. Adverse childhood experiences like child sexual abuse have been linked to a higher incidence of chronic health conditions in later life. When kids get the help they need when they need it, they can recover, reducing the risk of poor health in the future.

Better for Families

  • Greater convenience. Investigation, counseling and victim assistance are all provided locally.
  • Easier access to needed information. Our advocate works with non-offending caregivers from initial disclosure on, providing information, support, referrals to needed services and assistance with the legal process.
  • Inclusion of the family in the recovery process. Safe Spot offers support and therapy to help non-offending family members learn how to best help the abused child.

Better for the Community

  • Improved evidence collection. Trained interviewers obtain better evidence of abuse. When victim statements are obtained by trained forensic interviewers, prosecutors accept more cases and conviction rates go up, the National Institute of Justice reports. Reduction of repetitive interviews reduces the possibility of case contamination. Timely medical examinations preserve critical physical evidence.
  • Improved substantiation and prosecution of abuse cases. Joint child welfare-law enforcement investigations result in quicker response times, more prosecutions and more guilty pleas, a study by the Center for Policy Research found. Convicting adults who prey on children helps reduce the overall level of abuse in the community.
  • More efficient provision of services. Providing timely medical and mental health care to victims reduces long term costs.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
Safe Spot, the Child Advocacy Center of Wilkes County, operates its program, services and activities in compliance with federal non-discrimination laws. No person shall, on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any of our programs.
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To file a complaint, write the Office of Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (OCR), 810 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20531 or call (202) 307-0690 (voice) or (202) 307-2027 (TDD/TTY). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may also contact OCR through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 (TTY), (877) 877-8982 (speech) or (800) 845-8136 (Spanish).