Mission
"To combat child abuse by coordinating services to child abuse victims and their families in crisis and providing community education focused on prevention and early intervention."

Prevention

Stewards of Children

Stewards of Children is a comprehensive sexual abuse prevention training program that educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.  The Stewards of Children program is designed for organizations that serve children and adolescents, providing prevention training for staff, volunteers, parents, and other interested adults. 

Stewards of Children is a video-based training with an in-depth workbook featuring 7 Steps to Protecting Our Children and interactive discussion led by an authorized facilitator.  Stewards of Children attendees consistently comment that they feel empowered after attending the training and realize that there are tangible things that they can do to keep the kids in their life safe.  Stewards of Children trainings are provided free of charge as a service to the community. We ask that participants make a $10 donation to cover the cost of the workbook.  Scholarships are available if needed.

If you are interested in attending a Stewards of Children training, please contact Amy Baynes, Program Director, at  (615) 790.5900 ext. 103 or amy@williamsoncountycac.org

Prevent Now

What is Prevent Now!

The Williamson County Child Advocacy Center is committed to preventing child sexual abuse!  In April 2010, the Child Advocacy Center kicked-off an initiative called Prevent Now! with the goal to train over 6,500 adults in Stewards of Children over the next five years.  This number represents 5% of the population in Williamson County and theory suggests that when 5% of a population changes their behavior a cultural shift is created and societal change begins to take place.  Through these efforts to train adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse, children in our community will be safer than ever before.

We are in the process of scheduling Prevent Now! meetings to get the word out about our new initiative.  A Prevent Now! meeting is a Community Awareness Meeting that is designed to bring members of the community together to hear about the problem of child sexual abuse, to learn about its human and economic impact, and what the Child Advocacy Center is doing to prevent it. 

If you would like to help in our efforts, there are many ways to do so.  You can host a Prevent Now! meeting, host a Stewards of Children training, volunteer to become a trained facilitator in Stewards of Children, or make a donation.  For more information contact Amy Baynes, Program Director, at

(615) 790.5900 ext. 103 or you can email her at amy@williamsoncountycac.org

Other Trainings Available

The Williamson County Child Advocacy Center also provides other community education training on topics such as Child Neglect, Physical Abuse, and Signs and Symptoms of Child Sexual Abuse for groups such as law enforcement, day cares, churches, and civic groups.  The Child Advocacy Center provides these trainings free of charge as a service to the community.  If you are interested in one of these trainings, please contact

Amy Baynes, Program Director, at  

(615) 790.5900 ext. 103 or you can email her at amy@williamsoncountycac.org

For a calendar of upcoming events and trainings, click here.

History/Case Load
In March 1999, a group of individuals came together to form the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center Task Force. They began to plan and work towards starting a Child Advocacy Center in our community.  The group consisted mainly of caring, concerned professionals who work in the field of child abuse.  They saw the need improve the services currently offered to child abuse victims.  Their vision was bold -  to have a place where professionals could come together under one roof to provide quality services to child abuse victims in a child-friendly environment.  Thanks to their vision, the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center is a reality and has been serving our community since September 2000.

When I think of the original task force that formed many years ago, a quote from Margaret Meade comes to mind, “Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Stats

Last fiscal year (2008-2009) the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center provided over 1670 services to 627 clients.

Of the 627 clients:

• 415 are children/victims
• 212 are non-offending family members

415 children served:

• Hickman County - 97
• Lewis County – 53
• Perry County – 37
• Williamson County – 195
• other- 19
• County information unknown - 14

Funding
The two main sources of funding for the Child Advocacy Center are Victims of Crime Act grant from the Office of Criminal Justice Programs and grants from the Department of Children's Services.

We have two major special events, Legacy Ball and Andrea Walks.

Corporations such as First Tennessee Bank, Sam's Club and Enterprise Rent-A-Car and foundations such as the Wal-Mart Foundation, the Nashville Predators Foundation, Middle Tennessee Electric Customers Care Foundation and Second Mile Foundation have all provided funding to the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center in recent years. 

Service organizations such as Franklin Rotary at Breakfast and Franklin Rotary Club at Noon have been generous supporters.  We have been the beneficiary of numerous "adoptions" from individuals, groups and businesses such as Tara Galvin, Christ United Methodist Church Vacation Bible School and Massage Envy, just to name a few.

The Child Advocacy Center relies heavily on the generous contributions from individuals, families, local businesses and other forms of community support.

Newsletters & Annual Reports

501 c 3 status  (Download PDF)

Spring 2011 Newsletter (Download PDF)

Annual Report 2005-2006 (Download PDF)
Annual Report 2004 (Download PDF - 5mb)

2009 Audited Financial Reports (Download PDF)