Franklin-Williamson Child Advocacy Center

Franklin-Williamson Child Advocacy Center The FWCAC serves children up to the age of 18 who have been reported to be victims of abuse.

The CAC is a safe and child friendly-facility that is used for forensic interviews when a child (0 - 18 years) discloses sexual or severe physical abuse. Child advocacy staff assist in coordinating the investigations within a multi-disciplinary team context. Services include forensic interviewing, case management, and criminal court advocacy.

This week, Kyllah and Sarah have had the chance to learn alongside others around the state at Children's Advocacy Center...
09/02/2026

This week, Kyllah and Sarah have had the chance to learn alongside others around the state at Children's Advocacy Center of Illinois (CACI)’s first Forensic Interviewer Conference.

We also want to celebrate Sarah as she had the opportunity to present at this inaugural conference. As the Southern IL Peer Review Facilitator, Sarah had a chance to explore ways to unlock the true power of peer review and how everyone in the room plays a role in making it an engaging, learning experience.

As Sarah noted in her presentation, every interviewer in this room has experience someone else needs — and what a great opportunity it has been for Sarah and Kyllah to network with so many experienced interviewers around the state!

Sometimes the hardest “no” is the one we have to say to another adult — especially when it involves our kids.You are all...
08/27/2026

Sometimes the hardest “no” is the one we have to say to another adult — especially when it involves our kids.

You are allowed to have boundaries around your child, even when setting them feels uncomfortable.

You can be kind, respectful, and assume good intentions while still saying:

“No, my child doesn't want a hug.”
“No, I'm not comfortable with those arrangements.”
“No, I don't want pictures of my child taken or posted on social media.”

You don't have to be accusing someone of having bad intentions to set a boundary, have proof that something is wrong, or even give a lengthy explanation.

You don't have to make someone else comfortable with your boundary.

No isn't disrespectful when you're protecting a boundary.

We heard it’s National Dog Day 👀 While we don’t have an agency dog, we definitely don’t have a shortage of furry friends...
08/26/2026

We heard it’s National Dog Day 👀 While we don’t have an agency dog, we definitely don’t have a shortage of furry friends waiting for us at home to provide comfort after a long work day!

Meet a few of staff's four-legged family members. 🐾

As parents, we want our kids to have positive relationships with the adults in their lives — teachers, coaches, mentors,...
08/25/2026

As parents, we want our kids to have positive relationships with the adults in their lives — teachers, coaches, mentors, youth leaders, family friends, and others.

These healthy relationships between adults and children can be incredibly meaningful.

BUT ➡ healthy relationships also have boundaries.

So what should make a parent pause?

🚩 An adult asks your child to keep things from you.

🚩 Communication becomes private, secretive, or moves away from the normal channels used with other students or team members.

🚩 An adult gives your child special attention, gifts, privileges, or access that feels different from their relationship with other kids.

🚩 An adult repeatedly seeks opportunities to be alone with your child or isolates them from others.

🚩 An adult shares personal problems or emotions with your child in a way that makes the child feel responsible for them.

🚩 Your child seems uncomfortable, anxious, secretive, or suddenly wants to avoid an adult or activity they previously enjoyed.

And remember, you don't need to know exactly what is happening before you take a concern seriously. Pay attention to patterns, talk with your child, ask questions, and keep communication open.

When a child or teen tells you something concerning, it's normal to feel caught off guard and want to know all the detai...
08/24/2026

When a child or teen tells you something concerning, it's normal to feel caught off guard and want to know all the details so you can help.

But before overwhelming them with questions, remember this: your child saw you as a safe place and trusted you enough to tell you they needed help.

Not sure what to say? Start with:

“I'm glad you told me.”
“I believe you.”
“You did the right thing by telling me.”
“This isn't your fault.”
“I'm here with you.”

You don't have to conduct an investigation, have all the answers, or figure everything out in that exact moment.

The most important thing you can do is make sure your child knows they were right to tell you — and that they feel safe with you after something made them feel unsafe. 💙

Children's Advocacy Center of Illinois (CACI) has released the line up for their first Forensic Interviewer Conference a...
08/19/2026

Children's Advocacy Center of Illinois (CACI) has released the line up for their first Forensic Interviewer Conference and we see a familiar face!! We're excited for our Executive Director, Sarah, to present a session on Unlocking the Power of Peer Review. 💙✨

Join us in celebrating our Child Advocate, Pam, today! 🤩🥳
08/18/2026

Join us in celebrating our Child Advocate, Pam, today! 🤩🥳

Today, we celebrate our Child Advocate, Elaina, and her work anniversary! 🎉 Join us in thanking Elaina for the many ways...
08/16/2026

Today, we celebrate our Child Advocate, Elaina, and her work anniversary! 🎉 Join us in thanking Elaina for the many ways she has served children and their families over the last 7 years!

The FWCAC will be closed today (8/14) for our staff retreat. We're grateful the community puts their trust in us to do t...
08/14/2026

The FWCAC will be closed today (8/14) for our staff retreat. We're grateful the community puts their trust in us to do the work that we do. This day serves as a chance to step back, focus on a little self care, and building team relationships.

We hope everyone has a great weekend and we'll be back to normal business hours on Monday!

Back-to-school safety isn't just about crossing the street, knowing the bus route, or making sure your teenager has thei...
08/13/2026

Back-to-school safety isn't just about crossing the street, knowing the bus route, or making sure your teenager has their schedule.

As children get older, they begin forming more independent relationships with teachers, coaches, mentors, and other adults they may look up to and trust.

It's a healthy part of growing up, but it's also an important time to talk about healthy boundaries.

Take a few minutes to talk with your child about things that can be harder to talk about:

Healthy adult relationships don't require secrecy: Communication with teachers, coaches, mentors, and other adults shouldn't be private. Secret or disappearing-message communication (think SnapChat) can be a red flag.

Safe adults don't ask children to keep secrets from their parents: Your child should know that they can always tell you about a conversation, interaction, gift, or experience, even if an adult told them not to.

Pay attention to relationships that begin crossing normal boundaries: Excessive special treatment, unexplained gifts, isolation, private rides, unwanted physical affection, or communication that becomes unusually personal can be reasons to slow down, ask questions, and pay attention.

Most importantly, make sure your child knows they can come to you or another one of their trusted adults.

And remember: noticing a concerning behavior doesn't automatically mean abuse is occurring. It means to slow down, pay attention, ask questions, and LISTEN.

Address

501 S 14th Street
Herrin, IL
62948

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4pm
Friday 8:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+16189423800

Website

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