When a child experiences abuse, the road ahead can feel overwhelming—not just for the child, but for the entire family. Questions pile up quickly. Where can we find help? What happens next? How do we make our child safe again?

The best response in the aftermath of trauma is compassionate and collaborative. That’s why community partnerships matter and why our longstanding relationship with Child Network, an organization that has spent decades improving reactions to child abuse in Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, is so valuable.

Let’s dive into the important role Child Network plays in helping children and families after abuse.

What is Child Network?

Child Network has served children in our community since 1994, when it was established as a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) focused on supporting children who had experienced sexual abuse. In 1999, the organization expanded to include Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), broadening its mission to support abused and neglected children involved in the court system.

Today, Child Network serves Kankakee and Iroquois Counties through two core programs:

• Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC): Provides forensic interviews, family advocacy, trauma-focused referrals, and coordinated support for children who may have experienced abuse.
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA): Trained volunteers appointed by the court to advocate for the best interests of children involved in abuse and neglect cases.

Their mission is powerful and important: to improve the response to child sexual and physical abuse and advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system.

“Prior to this model, there really wasn’t a coordinated response to child abuse,” said Brianne Hetman, Executive Director of Child Network. “Now we have an approach designed to improve how systems and community partners respond, so children and families are better supported.”

“…there really wasn’t a coordinated response to child abuse. Now we have an approach designed…so children and families are better supported.”

— Brianne Hetman, Executive Director of Child Network

Child Network serves children facing a range of traumatic experiences. Approximately one-third of the children they support are survivors of sexual abuse, another third are children who have witnessed domestic violence, and another third are survivors of physical abuse or neglect, with some children experiencing overlap between these categories.

Why Coordinated Support Matters

Trauma affects every child differently, and its impacts can make it incredibly difficult for children and families to know what to do next.

“Our brains have a difficult time processing trauma,” Brianne explained, “and that makes it really hard for people who experience it to even identify what they need.”

For children, this can be especially complicated. They may struggle to understand what happened, feel confused by conflicting messages from adults, or be dealing with multiple disruptions at once.

“On top of abuse, we see families facing food insecurity, housing instability, or home environments that have been completely turned upside down by sexual or physical violence,” Brianne said.

That complexity is exactly why collaboration matters.

When abuse comes to light, Child Network often becomes one of the first agencies families encounter. Through their Children’s Advocacy Center, they provide a safe, child-focused environment for forensic interviews and immediate support, helping reduce retraumatization during the investigative process.

As the National Children’s Alliance explains, without a Children’s Advocacy Center, children may be forced to repeat their story multiple times to different professionals—an experience that can deepen trauma.

Immediate, trauma-informed intervention is key, but it’s only part of what families need.

How Clove Alliance and Child Network Work Together

Child Network and Clove Alliance are natural partners. We share a deep commitment to supporting survivors and strengthening our community’s response to trauma.

When Child Network identifies that a child survivor of sexual abuse or a family needs ongoing support, they refer them to Clove Alliance for specialized counseling and advocacy services.

“What makes Clove Alliance very valuable to Child Network is their extremely robust counseling program with an innovative and effective approach to treating trauma,” Brianne shared. Because trauma doesn’t end after the initial crisis.

At Clove Alliance, our counselors provide free, confidential support for survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones. Services are available to people of all ages throughout Kankakee, Iroquois, and Ford Counties.

“Child Network may have a more brief interaction with families in the particularly critical period immediately after abuse is discovered,” Brianne explained. “But trauma can blow up an existing home environment. New issues arise, and widespread life changes can develop. That makes longer-term support so helpful.”

In addition to counseling, Clove Alliance provides advocacy services that help survivors and families navigate systems, understand their options, and access continued care and healing.

“We earn families’ trust and can help them navigate what’s next so they don’t stay frozen in trauma,”  Brianne said. Part of that is making a warm handoff to Clove Alliance for continued support. I can confidently tell them, ‘These are our friends, and they will help you and care for you just as we have.’”

That trust matters deeply. “When you have someone to reach out to and be a true partner when something happens, it lessens the likelihood that trauma becomes the dominant defining moment in a survivor’s life,” Brianne said. It widens the path for healing.

The Power of Specialized Partnerships

Strong partnerships allow organizations to focus on what they do best while ensuring families receive comprehensive care.

“When we work together, we are more efficient and effective,” Brianne said. “Each agency can specialize without needing to duplicate services.”

Tracey Noe-Slach, CEO of Clove Alliance, agrees that collaboration is essential to building safer communities.

“Survivors and families shouldn’t have to navigate trauma or piece together support on their own,” said Noe-Slach. “Partnerships like the one we share with Child Network help ensure children and families get coordinated, compassionate care from people who understand trauma and are committed to their well-being.”

Brianne has seen firsthand what happens when organizations operate in isolation—and what becomes possible when they connect.

“I’ve worked in communities that took a more siloed approach, and it just doesn’t provide the best results,” she said.

Instead, collaborative care creates a stronger safety net for families. She added, “We do better when we work together.”

How You Can Support Child Network

Child Network’s impact depends not only on professional partnerships, but on community involvement.

One of the biggest ways you can help is by becoming a CASA volunteer: a trained advocate appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases. They provide consistency, speak up for children in court, and often remain involved beyond the court case until a child is in stable care. “The goal is to make sure every child in the program has someone,” Brianne shared.

Community members can also:

• Support donation efforts to provide comfort items, like stuffed animals and blankets, for children entering care or attending forensic interviews, and refreshments for families spending time at Child Network
• Participate in awareness efforts like the annual Blue Kids Campaign in April
• Most importantly, speak up if you suspect child abuse or neglect

“Don’t stay silent!” Brianne said. “Kids need adults to care for them and help them be safe.”

We’re Stronger Together

Healing after trauma takes time, care, and community.

At Clove Alliance, we’re grateful to work alongside organizations like Child Network that are deeply committed to protecting children and supporting families through incredibly difficult circumstances.

Because when community partners work together, survivors are met not with confusion or isolation—but with connection, hope, and healing.

To learn more about Child Network, becoming a CASA volunteer, or supporting their work, visit their website. If you or someone you love needs support related to sexual violence, Clove Alliance is here to help with free, confidential services.