Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center

Each year, countless children suffer from abuse and neglect.

All too often, children who experience abuse are harmed by the very individuals entrusted with their care and protection, individuals upon whom they depend on and whom they trust. While professionals within child protection, legal, and social service systems are committed to supporting these children, the processes historically used within civil and criminal justice systems were not designed with child victims as the primary focus. As a result, efforts to intervene may, at times, inadvertently contribute to additional stress or trauma for children and their families.

The Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center is part of the Iowa Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). CACs were established to strengthen community responses to child abuse by promoting a more compassionate, coordinated, and child-focused approach. Through a collaborative, multidisciplinary model, CACs work to reduce additional trauma, support effective investigations, provide medical evaluation services, connect families with appropriate community-based resources, including mental health providers, and assist in holding offenders accountable.

Children’s Advocacy Centers operate on the foundational principle that the best interests of the child must remain central throughout all phases of the response, including investigation, prosecution, and ongoing support. CACs provide a safe, neutral, and child-focused environment in which children may share their experiences. In addition, CACs assist in ensuring that children and their non-offending family members have access to the information, resources, and community-based services necessary to support healing and long-term well-being.

Forensic Interviews

A forensic interview is a recorded session, designed to elicit a child’s unique information when there are concerns of possible abuse or when the child has witnessed violence against another person. The forensic interview is conducted in a supportive and non-leading manner by a professionally trained individual. Interviews are remotely observed by representatives of the agencies involved in the investigation (such as law enforcement and child protective services), to minimize the number of times the child is asked to talk about their abuse.

Medical Examinations

Medical exams are conducted at the Child Protection Center by a medical professional trained in child maltreatment. These exams are conducted in a manner that is trauma sensitive and ensures for the overall health and well-being of the child.

Family Advocacy

The Child Protection Center provides support for children and non-offending caregivers. The family advocate explains the investigation and prosecution process and helps the caregiver and child to understand what is happening each step of the way. The family advocate connects families to community resources necessary to the family's healing and overall well-being. 

Community Education

Presentations, workshops and training events related to child abuse and neglect are provided by staff at the Child Protection Center, including Minimal Facts Interviewing Training.

Multidisciplinary Team Approach

Multi-disciplinary Teams (MDT) are made up of many professionals including:   

• Law enforcement investigators

• Prosecutors

• Child protective service workers

• Medical professionals

• Mental health professionals

• Victim advocates

• Other local service providers

In the neutral setting of the Child Advocacy Center, team members can collaborate on strategies that will aid investigators and prosecutors without causing further harm to the child. This innovative multidisciplinary approach significantly increases the likelihood of a successful outcome in court and long-term healing for the abused child, the most vulnerable of crime victims.

Child Advocacy Center multi-disciplinary teams collaborate to:

• Coordinate investigations

• Limit, when possible, the number of times each child is interviewed

• Provide comfortable, child-friendly settings for interviews

• Reduce the child victims’ travel to investigative agencies

• Coordinate medical and mental health services

• Increase public awareness about the incidence and impact of child abuse