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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should I do if I suspect child abuse?

A. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call 1-800-649-5285 to report it – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Q. Where is the center located?

A. The Center is located in Rutland City on 80 West Street, Suite 203. Enter through the sliding glass doors and take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Q. How many children does the Center serve a year?

A. The Child First Advocacy Center serves about 200 children each year.

Q. What do I do if I have been sexually assaulted?

​A. Get to a safe place and call 911. Go to the nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. you need to be examined, treated for any injuries and screened for possible sexually transmitted diseases, and provided prophylaxis.
Do not change your clothes, shower, bathe, douche, brush your teeth, eat or drink anything before coming to the emergency room. If you think you have been drugged, a urine test will be necessary.
Do not urinate before arriving at the emergency department. A specially trained nurse (SANE) or Doctor will use a sexual assault kit to collect evidence. The sexual assault kit must be administered within 72 hours of assault; preferably sooner.
Sexual assault kits and treatment may be provided anonymously.
Rutland Regional Medical Center: 802.775.7111
Rutland County Rape Crisis: 802:775.3232

Q. Which towns does the Center serve?

A. The Center serves children and families in Rutland County.
Click here for a complete list of Vermont CAC’s.

Q. Is there a fee for services?

A. All services are free of charge.

Q. What happens at the Child First Advocacy Center?
A. The Child First Advocacy Center is a child-friendly place where children meet with specially trained staff to talk about issues of child abuse and neglect. If your child is interviewed, the interview will take place in a private, child-friendly room, specifically designed for interviewing children. The interview process is of a neutral, fact finding nature.
Click here to learn more about the interview process.
Q. What do I tell my child about the interview?
A. It’s important that your child knows he or she is not in any trouble, and that the Child First Advocacy Center is a safe place to talk. You might tell your child: “We’re going to the Child First Advocacy Center. It’s a special place where kids can talk about what happened to them. The person you will be talking to talks to lots of kids. It’s okay to tell them everything, you’re not in any trouble.”
Q. Who will my child talk to?
A. Your child will talk to a Forensic Interviewer who’s had special training in talking to children about difficult subjects. The Interviewer’s goal is to make the child as comfortable as possible, while gathering the necessary information for an investigation. Our Forensic Interviewers ask questions in a non-threatening and non-leading manner. Interviews are conducted at a pace that is comfortable for your child, and children are never forced to talk.
Q. What happens after the interview?
A. After the interview you will have an opportunity to talk to members of the investigative team, ask questions, and voice your concerns.
Q. What behaviors could indicate sexual abuse?
A. Click here for common signs and symptoms of child abuse.
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