A newly established charitable organization supporting children and youth who report various forms of abuse is seeking community support.
The Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advisory Centre announced its media launch with key partner organizations on Wednesday.
Lynda Ware, WECYAC board president and Michelle Oake, executive director talked about the new centre.
“WECYAC is beginning operations with a newly constructed interview and monitoring room,” says Ware. “We now require financial support from the community for further growth and development."
Children who report abuse can go to the centre and only have to talk about their trauma to two people, in one place, as opposed to upwards of 10.
“We believe kids should only have to tell their story once" is the motto of the W-E Child Youth Advocacy Centre.
Officials say every year, 700 cases of alleged child abuse are investigated.
The centre is located at the Health Sciences building at St. Clair College and it’s a partnership with the OPP and Windsor, Amherstburg and LaSalle police.
“In Canada, there are currently 40 centres that are open or currently in development. In Ontario there are currently six locations such as this,” says Essex County OPP Inspector Glenn Miller.
“The centre will have specially trained professionals to investigate allegations of child abuse in a confidential, comforting, child and youth friendly environment,” adds LaSalle police chief John Leontowicz.
The Windsor-Essex CYAC has been three years in the making.
If you are interested in supporting the centre, you can donate money at https://www.wecyac.ca/donate/
