Advocacy

About Advocacy Training

Training for Advocates Working with a Child Advocacy Center

An investigation of alleged child abuse and potential legal proceedings can be stressful for families. An advocate can provide much-needed support, information, and resources for families and non-offending caregivers.

First Witness Child Advocacy Center’s advocacy program bridges the gap between individual advocacy with one victim and system-based advocacy that creates change for many victims. This contrasts with more restrictive advocacy models that are based on delivering services identified by practitioners and systems rather than victims. 

This training meets all essential training components in the 2023 National Children’s Alliance (NCA) Standard of Victim Advocacy and has been approved by the NCA. 

This training encompasses:

• Society, Beliefs, and the Impact of Advocacy
• 6 Core Principles of Social Change Advocacy
• Child Sexual Abuse Dynamics
• MDT and Child Advocacy Centers
• Victim Rights and Compensation
• Trauma Informed Services
• Crisis Assessment and Intervention Skills
• Risk Assessment and Safety Planning
• Active Advocacy
• Advocate Credibility
• Boundaries and Ethics
• System Change
• Prevention Messaging in Work with Families
• Cultural Responsiveness and Addressing Explicit Biases
• Caregiver Resilience
• Domestic Violence and Polyvictimization
• Referral Methods

Through hands-on practice, participants will learn how to put advocacy principles into action, including:  

• Examining advocacy principles through the lens of their organization, 
• changing organizations and systems, and  
• creating programs and interventions that meet victims’ needs.