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“Children should only have to tell their story once”: new centre will be a safe space and support child and youth abuse victims
Read more: “Children should only have to tell their story once”: new centre will be a safe space and support child and youth abuse victimsA new centre will soon be opening its doors in London, Ontario. Beacon House Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC) will be a multidisciplinary setting designed to create a safe space where children and youth who have been abused only need to share their story once.
Creating a strong community with better futures for children, youth, and families.
Our Mission & Vision
Beacon House’s Child & Youth Advocacy Program is a voluntary service offered to all families involved with the centre during a child abuse investigation. Our advocates provide immediate and ongoing support by explaining the process and helping connect families to community resources. Our advocates help families transition through the different phases of the reporting process and into long-term support programs.
Our mission is to support children, youth and families within a safe and supportive environment when they’ve experienced abuse. Our centralized location promotes healing and minimize trauma during the investigative process.
Children have access to services that promote well-being & security. Children are connected to a child advocate who help them navigate the services we house all under our own roof, provided through our strong community partnerships in London-Middlesex.
Continuity. Collaboration. Cooperation.
At Beacon House, children, youth, and families are provided services with a trauma-informed approach when involved in a criminal proceeding. This approach prevents re-traumatization caused from the child or youth having to tell their story multiple times to different professionals.
Beacon House is a hub for community collaboration to help guide children and youth through the police investigation and preparation for court testimony.
What is a Child & Youth Advocacy Centre?
Child and Youth Advocacy Centres, also known as CYACs, have a focus on partnerships with service providers such as police, child protection services, justice participants and medical professionals to allow for a more responsive, seamless way for children and youth to disclose abuse and receive support.
The current criminal justice system in London-Middlesex lacks a coordinated approach in order to provide children and youth with the best possible service when facing a traumatic event. The collaboration within Beacon House ensures a trauma-informed and child-friendly approach to investigations.
There are currently 30 Child and Youth Advocacy Centres throughout Canada working to address the way in which children and youth receive supports.
Our Community Partners
The impact we can make together matters.
With your support, Beacon House can become the guiding light to provide a coordinated approach to addressing the needs of child & youth survivors of abuse.
We are at $18,216.20 of our $100,000 goal!
Your contributions are helping
Keep Children Safe
Beacon House will be a neutral and child-friendly space built around the needs of children & youth.
Advocacy
Become an advocate for children & youth by helping us bring our vision to the London-Middlesex community.
Educate our community
Let’s work together to create a community that is knowledgeable of the dangers and can identify if a child is at risk or has become a victim of crime.
Improve access to care
Beacon House will provide a comfortable environment for children & youth to come forward to disclose abuse and get the help they need.
Create new partnerships
Building a network will assist in the expansion of our services and in improving the lives of children and youth in our community.