FAQ

1
What is Alliance For Children?

Alliance For Children is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Our mission is to protect Tarrant County children from child abuse through teamed investigations, healing services and community education. We use a coordinated, multidisciplinary teamed approach to child abuse investigations that allows us to lessen the trauma to child abuse victims and provide timely, supportive services to children and their protective caregivers.

2
What agencies are part of the multidisciplinary teams?

Alliance For Children partners with 40 Tarrant County law enforcement agencies, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Cook Children’s® Health Care System, JPS Health Network, Texas Health Resources, Tarrant County Juvenile Services, and the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. All of these agencies work together at Alliance For Children centers to reduce trauma to child abuse victims during an investigation and to improve their agencies’ responses to children who are often frightened and hurting. As a result of the collaboration, investigators and detectives are able to complete investigations in a more timely fashion, case information is stronger for investigative decision-making, and children and protective caregivers are more likely to benefit from available services. 

 
Collaborating partner agencies include:

ACH Child and Family Services

Arlington Police Department

Azle ISD Police Department

Azle Police Department

Bedford Police Department

Benbrook Police Department

Blue Mound Police Department

Burleson Police Department

Castleberry ISD Police Department

Colleyville Police Department

Cook Children's® Medical Center

Crowley Police Department

Crowley ISD Police Department

Dalworthington Gardens Police Department

Euless Police Department

Everman Police Department

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Forest Hill Police Department

Fort Worth Police Department

Grand Prairie Police Department

Grapevine Police Department

Haltom City Police Department

Hurst Police Department

JPS Health Network

Keller Police Department

Kennedale Police Department

Lakeside Police Department

Lake Worth Police Department

Mansfield Independent School District Police Department

Mansfield Police Department

North Richland Hills Police Department

Pantego Police Department

Pelican Bay Police Department

Richland Hills Police Department

River Oaks Police Department

Saginaw Police Department

Sansom Park Police Department

Southlake Police Department

Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office

Tarrant County Juvenile Services

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Texas Health Resources®

Watauga Police Department

Westover Hills Police Department

Westworth Village Police Department

White Settlement Police Department

3
Why is Alliance For Children necessary?

Before Children’s Advocacy Centers existed, children were often “re-victimized” through unnecessary and repetitive interviews due to each agency’s independent process. The multidisciplinary teamed approach to investigations helps overcome these problems by reducing child trauma and enhancing the investigation, resulting in a more supportive environment for child victims and their families and a higher number of convictions for offenders.

4
Who does Alliance For Children serve?

Alliance For Children serves children up to the age of 18 who are victims of sexual or physical abuse, neglect or witnesses to violent crime. Alliance For Children serves over 2,500 each year and has served over 63,000 children since opening our doors in 1992.

5
How is Alliance For Children different from other agencies?

Alliance For Children is the only nonprofit agency in Tarrant County directly involved in child abuse investigations.

6
How much do services through Alliance For Children cost?

Alliance For Children services are at no cost to the clients we serve.

7
What services does Alliance For Children offer?

Our team provides the following services:  forensic interviews, case management, individual and group counseling, prevention education and multidisciplinary team coordination.

8
What is a Forensic Interview?

The goal of a forensic interview is to gather pertinent information from children in a neutral, non-leading, developmentally sensitive, and legally defensible manner. Our team of Forensic Interviewers are experts in speaking with traumatized children and are specially trained to talk with children in a one-on-one setting and in a child-friendly way while trying to make them feel comfortable during the process.

9
How are children referred to Alliance For Children?

Children are referred to Alliance For Children through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and local law enforcement agencies.

10
How do I report child abuse?

Texas State Law requires that ANYONE "having cause to believe that a child's physical, mental health or welfare has been or may be adversely affected by abuse or neglect" MUST report the cause immediately. Failure to report child abuse is a misdemeanor punishable by law. Texas Family Code, Chapter 261. 

To report suspected child abuse call 1.800.252.5400.