NORWICH – The Child Advocacy Center of Chenango County is bringing concerns of child abuse to center stage, reaching out to victims and heightening awareness of the issue.

April is ‘Child Abuse Awareness Month’ and in recognition, Mike Middaugh, director of the Chenango County Child Advocacy Center, is working closely with his constituents at Catholic Charities and other local agencies to sponsor a series of events this month, including an open house event from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, April 27 at the Child Advocacy Center on 8 Silver St. in Norwich.

“People realize we aren’t a huge county, but we have a proportional amount of child abuse cases each year,” Middaugh explained. “Part of what we want to do is make people aware of how prevalent the issue is.”

The center uses a multi-disciplinary approach in dealing with child abuse cases in the county to reduce the heartache of victims and their families. By working collaboratively with social services, law enforcement, child protective services, victim services, and mental health officials, the center is able to maximize the strength of each discipline while reducing the negative impact that child abuse cases have on victims and non-offending family members, explained Middaugh.