MISSION
To reduce trauma to children and their families by providing a safe and supportive environment through a collaboration of community agencies.
OUR CENTER
Child abuse is more common than most people want to believe, and far too often, children never tell. When they do, how adults respond matters.
In the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, children deserve a safe place to be heard and families deserve support they can trust. That’s why The Children’s House Child Advocacy Center (CHCAC) exists.
We are a child-friendly, trauma-informed center where children and families come when there are concerns about abuse or neglect. Instead of sending families from office to office, we bring critical services together in one place, including family advocacy, forensic interviews, medical exams, and mental health support.
By working as a coordinated Multi-Disciplinary Investigative Team, we reduce repeated interviews, limit unnecessary system involvement, and help protect children from additional trauma. Our focus is simple: fewer doors, fewer retellings, and more support for healing.
Every child deserves safety. Every family deserves clarity. And every community plays a role in protecting childhood.
HISTORY
The Children’s House began in 1986 as the Bradford County Child Sexual Assault Task Force, formed by a group of concerned citizens and professionals committed to addressing child sexual abuse in the community. What started as a task force focused on education and accountability quickly grew into something more.
In 1989, with support from the Children’s Trust Fund, a dedicated, child-friendly facility was created so children could be interviewed in a safe space and spared from repeatedly reliving their experiences.
As the need for coordinated, trauma-informed care grew, so did our reach. In the early 2000s, services expanded to include Sullivan County, and the organization rebranded as The Children’s House, broadening its mission to serve children impacted by sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, and exposure to violent crime.
In 2015, The Children’s House became an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance, affirming our commitment to national standards, best practices, and child-centered care.
Most recently, in 2024, The Children’s House became the first organization in Pennsylvania to partner with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, strengthening our ability to support children affected by exploitation and technology-facilitated abuse.
Today, we continue our mission by providing coordinated services to children and families at no cost, helping them begin the process of healing after trauma—and reminding them they are not alone.
