DuPage County State’s Attorney, Joseph E. Birkett announced that the DuPage County Children’s Center has received recognition as an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance. The DuPage County Children’s Center was the first multidisciplinary child abuse investigative center in Illinois and the fifth in the nation. The Children’s Center’s primary goals are to ensure the safety of children, reduce the trauma experienced by child victims and provide a comprehensive response to victim and non- offending caregivers through the investigative and judicial process. In collaboration with 34 DuPage County municipalities and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Children’s Center has investigated over 7,000 allegations of child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse since 1987. 

The National Children’s Alliance requires accredited agencies to submit extensive documentation that demonstrates compliance with the standards of the multidisciplinary approach as well as undergo a comprehensive on-site audit. Brenda George, NCA site reviewer, sited the high degree of cooperation between all of the agencies and praised the State’s Attorney for the financial dedication to fund and manage the Children’s Advocacy Center.