About Us

Our Story

In 1997, members of the Barnstable County Task Force on Children; a collaboration with Cape Cod Healthcare, the Department of Children and Families, the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office and Barnstable County,  identified that there was a need for specialized services for children who were victims of child abuse. Seeing no agencies in our Cape & Island community that provided the specialized supports and services needed, they created Barnstable County’s first Child Advocacy Center to work in partnership to provide a comprehensive multidisciplinary response to child sexual abuse cases.

Children’s Cove provides a compassionate, efficient, child-friendly facility for child abuse intervention. Our staff facilitate a streamlined process which reduces the chances that the children are retraumatized and preserves the best evidence for investigators. Our staff help facilitate the collaboration of social and legal agencies to protect children and take the first steps toward healing.

With more than 950 Child Advocacy Centers in the United States, Children’s Cove is the only agency of its kind that provides the Cape & Islands with such comprehensive services. Children’s Cove provides leadership within the Cape & Islands community. To help educate professionals who work with children, Children’s Cove provides trainings and resources to schools, summer camps, daycare centers, fire/police departments, and other community agencies. Children’s Cove continues to spread awareness amongst the Cape & Islands community with the belief that awareness can empower children to report right away.

Children’s Cove is partially supported by the Massachusetts Office of Victims of Assistance through a Victim of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office of Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.