HOW WE HELP
Family Advocacy
A steady guide for families through every step, from the first call to the courtroom and beyond.
Our Family Advocacy Program
A child's healing does not happen in a single visit. It unfolds over weeks and months, through interviews, medical care, therapy, and sometimes a long road through the courts. Our Family Advocacy Program makes sure children and the caregivers who love them are not navigating that road alone.
Every family who comes to the Tree House is matched with a family advocate. Your advocate is your steady point of contact and your guide. They help you understand what is happening, connect you to the support your family needs, and stay with you for as long as you need them. Advocates support children and non-offending caregivers who are carrying the weight of trauma from abuse.
Like every service at the Tree House, family advocacy is free of charge and available in English and Spanish. We never want cost or language to stand in the way of a child's healing.
How advocates help
Your family advocate is available during your visits and offers long-term support on an as-needed basis, for as long as your family needs it. Here is some of what an advocate can do for you.
Explain who is involved and why
Investigations can feel confusing. Your advocate explains the Tree House partners and their roles in the investigation, prosecution, and treatment, so you always know who you are talking to and what comes next.
Help with peace and protective orders
When a child needs added safety, your advocate can assist with filing peace or protective orders for minor victims.
Stand with you in court
Court can be one of the hardest parts. Your advocate provides court accompaniment with legal and emotional support, prepares child witnesses for criminal cases, and helps children feel as ready and as steady as possible.
Connect you to the support you need
Your advocate completes a needs assessment with you and connects your family to services, including therapy, medical care, crisis intervention, domestic violence resources, education assistance, financial aid, and legal support.
Stay with you through it all
Your advocate offers ongoing support throughout the investigative and prosecutorial phases, and remains a familiar, caring presence the whole way through.
Helpful resources
We have gathered trusted guides for families facing court and the justice system. If you have questions about any of them, your family advocate is glad to walk through them with you.
Strategies for testifying minors. A pre-trial guide to help reduce a child's anxiety before testifying.
Your rights as a victim in Maryland circuit court. A plain-language guide from the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center.
For more support for parents and caregivers, visit our Resources page. If a child is in immediate danger, see Emergency Resources or call 911.
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You do not have to face this alone
When your family is ready for ongoing support, the Tree House is here, free of charge. If you think a child needs help, we are here. Families and community partners can start a referral, and our team will guide you through w
