The Role of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres

• Author: Loree Armstrong Beniuk, Jo-Anne Hughes, and Jack Reynolds
• Pages: 49-54

49

e Role of Child and Youth Advocacy

Centres

An outstanding example of collaboration, the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre pro-

vides a safe and comforting environment where children and youth who have been

impacted by the trauma of abuse are able to receive exceptional support services

under one roof. Specially-trained investigators work with community partners to

provide invaluable support to young people and their families. We are extremely

proud of this partnership, as all agencies work together to support the healing pro-

cess and promote community wellbeing.

— Chief Bryan Larkin, Waterloo Regional Police. Chief Larkin also served as

President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the

Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

The investigation and subsequent process for responding to child abuse

has been greatly improved in recent years with the establishment of

Child Advocacy Centres/Child & Youth Advocacy Centres (CACs/CYACs).

Those terms are used interchangeably across Canada. The Zebra Centre in

Edmonton was the f‌irst to be established, followed by many others across

Canada in the 2010–20 period aer the federal government began to pro-

vide encouragement and f‌inancial support. CYACs bring together a multi-

disciplinary team to provide a coordinated and comprehensive response

to address the needs of children and their families in cases where abuse

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