Kids' Advocacy Place
About KAP
Kids’ Advocacy Place (KAP) uses a multi-agency approach to the investigation, intervention, and
coordination of services for children and families affected by emotional, physical and sexual abuse
or neglect. Our facility includes a staff of highly skilled and specially trained individuals who work
closely with Child Protective Services (CPS), law enforcement organizations, as well as other
agencies involved in investigating and prosecuting these sensitive cases.
Why KAP? The criminal justice system was primarily designed for adult perpetrators, not child
victims. The process lacked coordination between police, prosecution, mental health and medical
agencies. Before KAP, children were often “re-victimized” through unnecessary and repetitive
interviews due to each agency’s independent process. The process often duplicated efforts and
complicated information in an already complex legal system. Kids’ Advocacy Place helps overcome
these problems by reducing child trauma, enhancing investigation, and resulting in improve lives for
child victims and higher conviction rates for offenders.
KAP serves 6 counties including, Kerr, Bandera, Gillespie, Kendall, and Kimble. KAP primarily
serves children under the age of 18 who have been the victim of sexual abuse, severe physical
abuse, neglect or witness to a violent crime.
Children are referred through the agencies that are mandated to receive reports of child abuse: Child
Protective Services, local law enforcement, and prosecution (County/District Attorney).
Approximately 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Child
abuse affects children and families across all socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial boundaries.
Additionally, 1 in 5 children is sexually solicited on the internet. Only 1 in 10 children will tell
someone about their abuse. 95% of children are abused by someone they know and trust. Kids’
Advocacy Place serves on average over 350 children per year.
Forensic Interview
When a concern arises that a child has endured abuse, a forensic interview is the best way to gather information pertaining to the allegation. A forensic interview is an objective, non-leading, legally defensible and age-appropriate, information-gathering process. Forensic interviews reduce trauma experienced by child victims by reducing the number of times they have to talk about what happened to them.
The interview is conducted by someone trained in latest forensic interviewing techniques, child development and linguistics, and will take place in one of our age-appropriate interview rooms. The interview will be permanently recorded and observed by law enforcement or child protective services investigators who are part of the KAP multidisciplinary team. This allows investigators who are assigned to help your family ask the forensic interviewer additional questions that can clarify information and reduce the times a child will have to be interviewed. As a result, all members of the multidisciplinary team obtain the information needed to proceed on behalf of the child.
KAP employs three forensic interviewers who ask legally defensible questions in an objective, non-leading and developmentally-appropriate manner for the age of the child. Our interviewers attend multiple continuing education trainings each year to ensure that they remain current on the best practices and methods related to forensic investigations, child welfare, and child development.
Family Advocacy
At the end of the interview, the CPS investigator and/or law enforcement investigator will
inform you about what to expect during the next stage of the investigative process.
Additionally, A Family Advocate assigned to your case will contact you at a later date to
follow-up with you, answering any outstanding questions you may have, and work with you
to ensure that you and your child remain supported throughout the entire investigative
process.
Education & advocacy
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