Redwood Children’s Center is a child advocacy center (CAC) that is both a place and a way to address child abuse using current best practices with a child friendly approach and setting.  They have a team of trained professionals all under one roof to support you and your child.  One of their goals is to reduce the number of interviews a child must be involved it – thereby reducing the trauma to children and families.

Redwood Children’s Center is located in The Family Justice Center in Santa Rosa.  They have compassionate, caring staff who understand the incredible stress that could be effecting the families they work with.  In the past, a Verity advocate would normally be there to support you and your family during this process.  However, due to Covid-19, Verity will be supporting you remotely for the safety of our staff and community.

Here are some frequently asked questions that were shared with us by Redwood Children’s Center:

What happens at the RCC?

When you arrive, you and your child will wait in a room equipped with toys, games,
books and crafts. A service dog may be made available upon request. You and your child will be given a tour of the Center and an explanation of how everything works.
From the waiting room, your child will go into another child-friendly room that has a video camera to tape the interview. There may be an RCC advocate available
to answer questions for you while your child is being interviewed.

 Who will talk to my child?

An Interview Specialist, with specialized training and experience in talking to children about difficult subjects.

What can I do to prepare my child?

Please ensure that your child has taken a nap if needed and has had a healthy snack before the interview.

What do I tell my child about visiting the RCC?

“We are going to talk to someone who needs to know what happened. You are not in trouble! This person talks to kids all the time about similar things. You need to tell the truth and tell everything that you can remember.”

Can I talk to my child about what happened?

Only if your child brings up the subject without being asked and wants to talk
about it. In that case, listen without comment. Reassure your child that they
will be all right. Later, make detailed notes of what was said and share them with the investigator handling the case.

Can I watch the interview?

Parents/guardians may not watch the interview. In order to maintain neutrality of
the investigation, only those professionals directly involved in the investigation can
watch the interview.

What happens after the interview?

You can talk to a member of the team who observed the interview and ask
questions. Keep in mind that there may be information that cannot be shared with you.