The child advocate is an important person on our team and will be the professional who will be working most closely with you. After the report has been made, many parents feel overwhelmed and confused. In some instances they feel like no one is listening to their concerns or that somehow they have become invisible. Often they have questions about the roles of the various people they’ve met, what happens next and how long the investigation and prosecution will take. Parents want to know if their child will have to testify and what they are supposed to be telling their child. It is normal for parents to feel a wide range of emotions during this time.
The child advocate is here to help answer your questions and if they don’t know the answer to track down the information for you. You have enough to deal with, be sure to utilize the support of the child advocate in this process.
The child advocate is not a lawyer or a therapist, but s/he can help by:
- Listening
- Offering suggestions
- Providing you information about community resources
- Making referrals for counseling
- Helping you apply for a protection order or access crime victim compensation funds
- Keeping you updated on the court process
- Scheduling Court School for your child
- Accompanying you and your child to court proceedings and depositions