Then And Now

Child Abuse Care In Our Community With and Without The Carousel Center

The Carousel Center opened its doors in 2000 and has grown to serve 15 counties in southeastern North Carolina.

Before the existence of The Carousel Center, children who were victims of abuse were sent to their local emergency room where they were just one patient–usually in a sea of many.  They had to endure the frantic pace of emergency rooms, the unfamiliar stares of medical professionals and frightening physical exams—all of this in addition to the trauma they had just experienced.  Importantly, hospitals in our area haven’t the time, the specific equipment  nor the certified staff to examine these critical cases such that evidence is neither overlooked, nor compromised. This isn’t a  job for standard emergency room physicians and nurses.

Fortunately, local ER personnel recognized this need and established  The Carousel Center,  a place where abused children are welcomed and cared for by professionals extensively trained and certified to deal with these delicate circumstances.

The Carousel Center’s staff conducts their forensic investigations while keeping the child’s mental well-being their highest priority.  They understand the questions that need to be asked age appropriately, in order to fulfill the needs of law enforcement, prosecution and social services.  Recording equipment and closed circuit monitors are used during this crucial process to allow all interested parties to watch and ask questions to the interviewer through a discreet headset so the victim needn’t relive their trauma by re-telling their story repeatedly.

Likewise, our medical staff gathers the essential physical evidence, while being extremely sensitive to the victim.  Children are given stuffed animals to hug and they wear hand painted t-shirts, instead of standard hospital gowns, making them feel more relaxed and comfortable.  The medical exam is conducted by a physician who is certified for such, assuring that evidence is neither missed nor compromised while it is recorded for later reference and prosecution.

Such evidence helped fully prosecute 47 cases last year.

Once children get past the initial procedures, the healing must begin.  The Carousel Center understands the importance of that healing and provides victims and their non-offending family members the tools to assist in meeting that goal.  Services offered through The Carousel Center include traditional talk therapy and family counseling, play therapy, art therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), case management and family counseling by professionals in each field.