WE ARE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN
The Carousel Center is called to aid child survivors of abuse and neglect and their families in the everyday work that we do, whether it is through victim support, medical services and forensic interviews, therapeutic services, case management, or a host of other activities that ensure that children who are survivors of abuse can heal, recover, thrive, and shine.
The Carousel Center is the region’s only nationally-accredited child advocacy center. Carousel Child Advocacy Center serves child survivors when there are concerns about sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, or who have witnessed a violent crime. All services are provided in a nurturing, friendly, and safe environment at no cost to a child’s family.
Only local social services or law enforcement departments may refer a child to a child advocacy center. If you have concerns about a child, please call your local law enforcement, 911, or your county’s Dept of Social Services.
Carousel Child Advocacy Center is accredited by The National Children’s Alliance(NCA) and the Child Advocacy Center of North Carolina (CAC-NC).
NCA Accreditation Standards—To ensure that all children across the U.S. served by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) receive consistent, evidence-based interventions that help them heal from abuse, hundreds of CACs have become NCA Accredited Members by meeting NCA’s Standards for Accredited Members and verifying their adherence to the highest standards of practice by submitting to NCA site review.
Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina is an accredited state chapter of the National Children’s Alliance, the national umbrella organization for children’s advocacy centers dealing with child abuse.
The children’s advocacy movement began in the 1980s. Each center is an independent agency that provides services for abused children and relies on its local communities for support. By bringing together collaborative partners, such as local child protective services, law enforcement, prosecutors, and medical and mental health providers, Child Advocacy Centers can make a positive difference in the lives of abused children by bringing professionals to the child instead of asking children and their families to access services through many different portals.
Need To Report Child Abuse? Click Here.
In North Carolina, all school faculty and staff are “Mandated Reporters” for suspected, observed, or disclosed incidents of child physical/sexual abuse and/or neglect. This means they are legally required to report incidents to their local Department of Social Services and/or 9-1-1 or law enforcement.
Anyone may refer a child survivor of trauma to the Carousel Center for therapy services. We provide therapy services for children who have experienced sexual/physical abuse and/or neglect so they can concentrate on doing the hard work of healing and getting back into the business of childhood. Call our 910-254-9898 to schedule an appointment. Unfortunately, our therapists often have waiting lists so that you may be referred to a community child therapist specializing in trauma therapy.
If you are a child being abused or you know a child who may be abused or neglected, please contact your local Department of Social Services or call 911 if an immediate response is needed.
You may also call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD or chat online at https://www.childhelp.org/childhelp-hotline/.
Additional resources:
The Suicide Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
Trillium Screening Triage and Referral – 1-877-685-2415
How To Report Suspected Child Abuse
If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, or if you think a child may have died from being mistreated, the law requires you to report what you know to your county’s Department of Social Services.
- New Hanover County: 910-798-3400
- Brunswick County: 910-253-2077
- Pender County: 910-259-1240
If you believe a child is in imminent danger call 9-1-1 immediately.
Additional resources:
The Suicide Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
Trillium Screening Triage and Referral – 1-877-685-2415
Quick video overview of your visit to Carousel Child Advocacy Center