September 2025 Newsletter

The South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (SCNCAC) is an accredited state chapter of the National Children’s Alliance (NCA). We are a non-profit membership organization and statewide leader in the response to child abuse representing all Children’s Advocacy Center programs in South Carolina.

LATEST SCNCAC NEWS

Progress Update: SC Accreditation Standards Development

In December of 2024, SCNCAC announced making significant progress in developing SC State Standards for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). This initiative is part of a larger 5-year Quality Improvement Project aimed at enhancing CAC services statewide, ensuring access to evidence-based best practices for every child, regardless of where they live in South Carolina.

Since consulting with professionals from various agencies and stakeholders across the state to gather valuable input, the first draft of the proposed SC Accreditation Standards has been released. The goal of these standards is to:

• Adapt and Strengthen National Standards to better align with the specific needs of South Carolina’s communities.
• Promote Quality Assurance through expanded, in-depth monitoring efforts across all counties served by a CAC.
• Standardize Service Delivery to ensure that every child in South Carolina benefits from the same level of exceptional care.
• Close Gaps in Existing Standards by incorporating new elements that reflect the unique aspects of the statewide child abuse response.

Testing Phase

To refine the SC Accreditation Standards before a statewide launch, SCNCAC has begun a pilot phase with three Children’s Advocacy Centers. Each center will complete the full accreditation process, from application through site visit.

This pilot is a key step in shaping meaningful, state-specific standards. By working closely with participating sites, SCNCAC ensures the standards are both practical and impactful. Feedback from the pilot will guide final revisions, helping the standards reflect the unique needs of South Carolina’s children, families, and communities while strengthening quality, promoting consistency, and ensuring provision of services in the state’s response to child abuse.

Development Plan - 2025 Edition

SCNCAC is committed to ensuring that every child in South Carolina has access to the critical services provided by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), no matter their location. In 2018, a private foundation grant enabled SCNCAC to complete a comprehensive feasibility study and needs assessment to inform and support the continued growth and expansion of CACs statewide.

The initial Development Plan was released in 2018, providing regional population information as a starting point for CACs' potential growth. With the release of the updated 2022 edition of the Development Plan, SCNCAC:

• Demonstrated progress made towards the goal of removing barriers that victims and their families face when accessing CAC services.
• Provided recommendations for additional growth needed 

The final version of the 2025 Developmental Plan is now available, highlighting the significant progress and positive growth of CACs across the state since 2017.

Safe Babies Active Community Team (ACT)

Gabby Hearly, SBT Coordinator at Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center, facilitated the latest Safe Babies Team (SBT) Active Community Team (ACT) meeting—an ongoing effort that unites 48 organizations in support of infants and toddlers involved in the child welfare system.

The meeting featured presentations from Uplift Lexington, Lexington County Community Paramedics, and First Five SC, each highlighting services and resources available in Lexington county that align with SBT’s mission to provide early, coordinated support to families.

Keeping community partners informed and engaged is essential, as SBT’s success depends on regular collaboration to reduce time in foster care and improve long-term outcomes for children.

The Safe Babies approach is a national initiative focused on promoting safe, stable, and nurturing environments for young children. Lexington County’s ACT meetings play a key role in advancing this vision at the local level.

IN THE NEWS

2026 Symposium Call for Abstracts - 2 Weeks Remaining

Hosted in partnership between North and South Carolina, this multi-disciplinary event brings together professionals dedicated to supporting children and families affected by abuse.

We are still accepting session proposals for the next 2 weeks and invite you to be part of the 2026 speaker lineup. Whether you’re a veteran presenter or bringing a new voice to the field, we welcome proposals for engaging and informative sessions designed for forensic interviewers, mental health providers, medical professionals, prevention specialists, law enforcement, attorneys, advocates, and others working in child protection.

Ready to share your knowledge and inspire others? Submit your proposal by September 15th using the 2026 Call for Abstracts form linked below.

South Carolina Response to Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking in the Carolinas Conference

In July 2025, staff from the South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (SCNCAC) attended the Human Trafficking in the Carolinas Conference in Columbia, SC. Hosted by the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, the conference brought together professionals from law enforcement, healthcare, child welfare, and advocacy organizations to strengthen the state’s response to human trafficking.

The conference highlighted the importance of collaboration across systems to better protect vulnerable children and support survivors. 

SCNCAC’s involvement aligns with its mission to lead a coordinated response to child abuse and exploitation through training, technical assistance, and statewide advocacy.

Palmetto Association Human Trafficking Symposium

In August 2025, SCNCAC also attended the Symposium titled, "Facing the Truth: Understanding and Combating Human Trafficking Together," put on by Palmetto Association for Children and Families. 

Our President and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Knapp, was part of a panel discussion with other community leaders where they discussed the importance of a collaborate effort in the fight against Human Trafficking in South Carolina.

By engaging in these important events, SCNCAC continues to ensure that South Carolina’s Children’s Advocacy Centers and community leaders are equipped to recognize and respond to trafficking as part of their broader commitment to child safety and well-being.

CAC SPOTLIGHT

CAC Employee Spotlight - Kelly Mason

Join us in celebrating this month’s CAC Employee Spotlight: Kelly Mason, Child Advocate at the Children's Recovery Center (CRC)!

Kelly consistently prioritizes the needs of the children throughout every part of their visit to the CRC. Among her colleagues, she’s known as a dependable team player who is always supportive and considerate of others. No matter what’s needed, Kelly is quick to step up and offer her help.

Since 2009, Kelly has successfully led the CRC through the National Children's Alliance (NCA) Accreditation process and she also serves as the CRC's representative on:

• The South Carolina Human Trafficking Taskforce
• The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
• Victim Service Provider (VSP) Leadership Academy

Louise Carson, Executive Director, and Laura Finlay, Director of Operations, stated "Kelly is a master of efficiency while never losing sight of the CRC Mission. She definitely deserves the spotlight for all she has done and does!"

TRAININGS & EVENTS

Building Strength Through Resilience

In June 2025, Children’s Trust of South Carolina partnered with the South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (SCNCAC) to deliver a Resiliency Training series for staff at family resource centers across the state. Held in Columbia, Lyman, and Florence, the same training reached three groups and a total of 43 participants.

Family resource centers are trusted community hubs offering parenting classes, counseling, child care, job training, and other vital services. They play a critical role in strengthening families, reducing child welfare involvement, and supporting community stability.

The SCNCAC Resiliency Training addressed the emotional demands of helping professions, focusing on burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma. Participants learned about the five core elements of resiliency and reflected on their personal “why” as a grounding tool in challenging moments. Sessions encouraged both individual and organizational approaches to resilience, emphasizing sustainability and wellness.

Attendees also developed action plans to build resilience within their centers and shared ideas through a collaborative sticky-note activity. These insights were compiled and shared with leadership to inform future staff support. Through this effort, Children’s Trust and SCNCAC reaffirm their commitment to strengthening the systems that sustain families and communities across South Carolina.

SCNCAC Hosts August 2025 Initial VSP Training

From August 6–8, 2025, the South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (SCNCAC) hosted its Initial Victim Service Provider (VSP) Training in the Columbia, SC area. Offered twice annually, this foundational training is designed to meet the standards of both the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) and South Carolina’s Victim Service Provider requirements for newly hired advocates.

The three-day training welcomed 23 professionals, including 15 advocates representing South Carolina’s Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), along with 8 advocates from CACs in North Carolina.

Attendees gained foundational knowledge and practical skills for serving children and families impacted by abuse. The training featured interactive activities, group discussions, and real-world case scenarios to build confidence and capacity in their roles.

By completing the Initial VSP Training, participants met a critical milestone in their professional development, ensuring they are now better prepared to deliver high-quality, compassionate services to children and families. SCNCAC remains committed to strengthening the advocacy workforce through training, technical assistance, and continued collaboration across the Carolinas.

2025 Remaining Trainings & Events

Below is a list of upcoming events planned for the remainder of 2025. If you are a CAC Staff member or MDT partner, please be sure you login to SCNCAC Connect when viewing the list to see all events that are open for your membership level.

• September 5th & 10th: 3rd Quarter Peer Review (virtual)
• October 10th: SCNCAC Membership Meeting (virtual)
• October 22nd-24th: ChildEX (virtual - expanded interviews)
• November 7th: Statewide Forensic Interviewer Forum
• December 4th: Breaking the Taboo of Helping Children and Adolescents with Problematic Sexual Behaviors
• December 12th: SCNCAC Annual Membership Meeting

For more information or to register, click the link below. 

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SCNCAC, PO Box 2195, Columbia, SC 29202