SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — A Child’s Voice Child Advocacy Center officials and area stakeholders recently gathered to celebrate and cut the ribbon on the nonprofit’s expanded facilities.

A Child’s Voice Child Advocacy Center (CAC), located in Social Circle, is a nonprofit organization that coordinates care and investigation for child abuse cases mainly within the Alcovy Judicial Circuit, including Newton and Walton counties.  

The CAC’s main focus is on the child. The organization exists specifically to strengthen the coordinated community response to cases of child maltreatment, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and witness to abuse and homicide. This is done through already existing entities such as law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, medical and therapeutic agencies, so that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and children are protected.

A Child’s Voice CAC also plays a vital role in creating awareness and placing efforts on abuse prevention.

Lee Garrett, chairman of the A Child’s Voice CAC Board of Directors, spoke briefly about the organization’s beginnings — starting in “a small room in Loganville” about 16 years ago.

“I can’t tell you what a great cause and what great people are here,” he said. “They do a very difficult but necessary task.”

Now, as the region’s population is anticipated to continue increasing, the expanded center will be able to keep up. With the addition, CAC operates out of two buildings located at Brookstone Place in Social Circle where they conduct forensic interviews, provide forensic medical exams and advocate for children and families. 

Before and after the ribbon cutting ceremony, staff members gave tours of the facility and detailing the organization’s work.

The center is also designed with children in mind. While multiple cameras and audio equipment are discreetly placed in interview rooms to allow investigators to observe from another location, decorations throughout the facility — including the lobby, interview room and medical exam room — feature vibrant artwork and arrangements to help make children feel as comfortable as possible during what is often a difficult process.

The CAC also provides counseling resources, among others, to further aid affected families.

“This organization does so, so much,” said Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Randy McGinley, who serves on the CAC Board of Directors. “Working sex crimes and children victim crimes is a very tough thing to do. It’s a very hard thing to do day-in and day-out. But they do it here at A Child’s Voice … They just do amazing things here.”

McGinley thanked the community and its stakeholders who help make what the CAC is able to possible through donations and support.

Concerning the number of cases, McGinley said the past few years have proven to be a bit worse due to the pandemic.

“The last couple of years, COVID really changed the world,” he said. “Also what COVID did was make things worse for some people. People were stuck in their houses with people that are abusing them … So many people are scared of this ‘stranger danger’ idea, but that’s just not the reality. The vast majority of cases we have involves somebody the child knows.”

According to the CAC’s website, nearly 2,400 clients have been served since 2009. There were 219 clients served in 2020 alone.

A Child’s Voice CAC is operated under the supervision of its Board of Directors and Executive Director Nancy S. Burgess. The organization was founded and incorporated in 2006 and later began its work in 2009 under the leadership of Burgess.

Learn more about A Child’s Voice CAC, including how to get involved by way of volunteering or donating, at achildsvoicecac.org or call 770-464-0082.

Child abuse reports may be made by calling 1-855-GA-CHILD, but if in immediate danger, call 911.