Today kicks off National Forensic Interviewers Week – a week-long recognition for the forensic interviewers at Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) for the work they’re doing with children daily when there is a disclosure or suspicion of abuse. A CAC provides a safe, child-friendly facility where child protection, criminal justice, and child treatment professionals work together to investigate abuse, hold offenders accountable, and help children heal.
Last year, West Virginia’s 21 CACs served 4,734 children. Of those, 4,603 forensic interviews were conducted with 66% of children disclosing abuse. Locally, North Star Child Advocacy Centerconducted 558 forensic interviews during 2025. Even when a child does not disclose, the multidisciplinary team may still have good cause to investigate the reports that prompted the child’s services at the CAC.
Forensic interviews are the foundation for multiple CAC/Multidisciplinary Team functions including child abuse investigation, prosecution, child protection, and implementation of appropriate services, and may also be the beginning of the road toward healing for many children and families. The way a child is treated during the initial forensic interview may significantly impact the child’s understanding of, and ability to respond to, the intervention process and/or criminal justice system.“When a child first enters North Star CAC, how they are received is extremely vital to their time at the center,” states Candice Gabriel, Program Manager for North Star. “If a child feels welcome, seen, and heard from the start, they are more likely to trust that they are in a safe environment and around safe people. The child will trust that we will be there for them throughout the process and that we believe them no matter what. Our center has talked with numerous children who have told the Forensic Interviewers that they are the first people they have talked to about the abuse and the first person to believe them. That is a huge step in their healing journey and also confirms for us that we are vital people in the fight against child abuse,” says Gabriel.
Every CAC adheres to research-based forensic interview guidelines. They must monitor these guidelines over time to ensure they reflect current practice and best standards. At a minimum, any professional in the role of forensic interviewer must have initial and ongoing forensic interviewer training that is approved by the National Children’s Alliance.
Forensic interviews are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviews and are conducted in a manner that is legally sound and of a neutral, fact-finding nature. This aims to prevent the added trauma to a child of re-telling their story to multiple agencies. When a child is unable or unwilling to provide information regarding any concern about abuse, other interventions to assess the children’s safety and experience are required. “All children react to and handle trauma in many different ways,” states Gabriel. “For some children, they may tell right away if they are abused; other children may wait for years. Disclosures may take time depending on the severity, length of time the abuse has occurred and how many offenders there are. When this happens, more than one interview may be needed. If a child needs more time and support to disclose their story, therapy is recommended. The therapy process can provide the child with the resources they need to work through the trauma they have endured. It is extremely important to wrap these children and families in services during this time,” concludes Gabriel.
“While North Star provides many services to help children and their non-offending family members or guardians navigate the trauma they have experienced, the forensic interview is truly the foundation of our work,” said Greg Collins, executive director of North Star Child Advocacy Center. “Our forensic interviewers ask no leading questions and remain neutral throughout the process—they are not advocates for Child Protective Services or law enforcement. Their role is to provide children with a safe, supportive environment where they can share their experiences in their own words. Just as importantly, our forensic interviewers meet every child where they are emotionally and developmentally. They build trust, reduce anxiety, and help children feel as comfortable as possible during one of the most difficult moments of their lives. That compassionate, child-centered approach not only supports the child but also results in the most accurate and reliable information for the investigation,” concludes Collins.
Created by Guardify, a Digital Evidence Management System, National Forensic Interviewers Week has been honoring the work of forensic interviewers across the country for five years now.
You may contact North Star at 304-917-4437 or via email nscac@northstarcac.org to learn more about how you can help or to request a tour of the facility. You may also contact the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) to leave an endowment or a legacy gift to North Star. More information can be found at northstarcac.org.
