What to Expect?

The Barrie Center is a child-friendly center, also called a children’s advocacy center (CAC). Children of all ages come to the Barrie Center to speak with specially trained interviewers about allegations of child abuse. The CAC process involves a team of professionals from multiple agencies such as law enforcement, Department of Human Resources, mental health, etc. When you arrive, you will be greeted by a victim advocate who will assist you with paperwork while you wait in the family waiting room. This room has a TV, books, and toys.
After you complete the paperwork, the victim advocate will give you and your child(ren) a tour of the facility and show you the room where your child will be interviewed. Our interview room is specially designed to make children feel comfortable while speaking with the forensic interviewer. The room has two video cameras and microphones in the ceiling that connect to a closed-caption television system. This system is located across the hall in the multi-disciplinary team room and allows the team members working on your child’s case to view the forensic interview in real-time.

Following your child(ren)’s interview, the multi-disciplinary team may speak with you to discuss next steps in the case. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and voice your concerns. If you request any referrals for counseling services or community resources, the victim advocate or community outreach advocate will assist you with those. Our office can also provide school and work excuses for the child(ren) and non-offending caregiver who attend the interview.

When the team is finished with their investigation, a meeting will be held with the District Attorney’s office to make the final decisions of whether a case may move on to be prosecuted. The District Attorney will decide whether or not to prosecute, not the child or parent. Your child may have to go to court to testify. If this happens, the CAC staff and/or victim’s service officer at the District Attorney’s Office will meet with your child to inform them and support them through the judicial process.

Only the non-offending caregiver and the child(ren) being interviewed need to be present at the Barrie Center. We ask that no other family members or friends attend the appointment due to confidentiality of other clients and to decrease the spread of illness as many children enter our agency each day. If you or your child have been sick within the last 24 hours please call beforehand at (256) 543-1319 to inform our staff so that we can reschedule your appointment. Our goal is to keep all staff, team members and clients healthy.

You might tell your child, “You and I are going to go to the Barrie Center. It is a special place where kids go to talk. The person you will be talking to talks to lots of kids about what happens to them. They need to know everything that you remember so that we can make sure you are safe and okay. It is important that you tell the truth and only talk about what really happened. It is okay for you to talk to them. YOU ARE NOT IN ANY TROUBLE.”

If your child is younger, please do not reference the CAC as being like the doctor’s office. They won’t be getting any shots or medical exams at our office. This comparison can often create additional fear for a young child.

Your child will talk to a Forensic Interviewer. The Interviewer has special training and experience in talking with children about difficult subjects. The Interviewer’s goal is to make your child feel as comfortable as possible while gathering the necessary information for an investigation. Questions are asked in a nonthreatening and non-leading manner. The Interviewer moves at a pace that is comfortable with your child and never forces a child to talk to them. Your child will only be interviewed by the Forensic Interviewer and not other team members.

Tell your child that you might not know what questions to ask and how to ask them. Sometimes parents ask the kinds of questions that are about feelings instead of the facts, which is why this special interviewer needs to do the asking. Assure them that they are not in trouble with you or with the person with whom they will be talking.

No. Only those people who are directly involved in the investigation are allowed to observe the interview. This is done to reduce the possible stress that can be placed on a child and to provide a neutral setting for the child and the investigation. Before and after the interview, you will have an opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns with the investigative team members. If you need support from CAC staff during the interview, the victim advocate is available to be with you during that time.

The investigative team members will decide if your child needs a medical exam. If one is needed, the Barrie Center will make a referral to the CHIPS center at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. If referred to CHIPS, you might tell your child, “We are going to see a doctor who takes care of kids. You will not get any shots. The doctor is not going to hurt you. They just need to make sure that your body is okay and healthy.” When the examination is over, the doctor will be able to tell you in general terms what they learned.

No, not unless your child brings up the subject and wants to talk about it. In that case, listen to your child without commenting or questioning. Be sure to reassure your child that he/she will be all right. If your child tells you something that alarms or upsets you, contact the CAC staff or the Department of Human Resources. Part of the healing process for children is to be allowed to pace their disclosure to adults and family members. The child may not want to share all the details and it is recommended that parents/guardians not ask for that disclosure again that can be further traumatizing to a child.

Yes. Children may be uncomfortable discussing the abuse with their parents because of shame or guilt. Children dislike seeing their parents upset or angry. Therefore, they may try to protect their parents by not telling them about the abuse. Children may interpret a parent’s negative emotions with the situation as negative feelings toward the child. Reassure your child that you are not upset with them, rather that you are upset with the situation. For the above reasons, it is important to give your child the opportunity to talk with a professional. Children have different needs that must be addressed from the incident to recovery. Should negative emotions and reactions to the abuse remain untreated, or if the child cannot properly express dis- comfort, a child will only experience greater suffering and trauma. Mental health therapists can apply their special training, knowledge, and experience to help ensure that your child recovers as quickly as possible. Allowing your child to talk to a professional child therapist is a positive step toward healing.