Helping children tell their story
DCAC’s Forensic Services Team conducts specialized interviews with children in a safe, child-friendly setting to support investigations and reduce trauma.
What is a Forensic Interview?
A forensic interview is a specialized, neutral, and non-leading conversation designed to gather information from a child about abuse in a developmentally appropriate and legally sound way. Law enforcement and CPS investigators observe and record the interview for use in the investigation. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Help Us Protect Children
DCAC provides forensic interviews at no cost to families. Your support helps ensure every child has a safe, trauma-informed space to share their story.
Collaboration That Protects Children
Our forensic interview team collaborates closely with law enforcement and Child Protective Services to gather evidence through specialized, neutral interviews that protect the integrity of every child’s statement and support effective investigations.
Interviewers are available 24/7 in order to ensure that children are safe no matter the day or time.
Why it Matters
Child-friendly forensic interviews reduce trauma and help build stronger cases. When children are interviewed in a neutral, developmentally appropriate setting, they are more likely to share what happened clearly and safely, which not only protects their well-being but also ensures their statements guide effective investigations and successful prosecution.
Last year, DCAC conducted over 6,000 forensic interviews.
Legal Impact
Forensic interviews serve as key evidence, reducing the need for children to repeatedly share their stories during investigation and prosecution. Forensic interviewers may testify in court as expert or outcry witnesses, and the DCAC team remains involved to help families understand and navigate every step of the legal process.
Need to report suspected child abuse?
Anyone who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of abuse or neglect is required by Texas law to report their concerns immediately to the police or the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400.
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call local law enforcement or 911.
