The week of March 17-20th was a whirlwind of excitement, learning and invaluable networking. The 41st International Symposium on Child Abuse held in Huntsville, Alabama, and hosted by the National Child Advocacy Center, brought together over a thousand professionals from 16 different countries dedicated to serving children and families who interact with Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs).
This annual symposium offers a platform for sharing knowledge, refining skills: and fostering collaboration in the fight against child abuse. Training sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics, including forensic interviewing, law enforcement and child protective services investigations and the evolving role of social media and artificial intelligence in child advocacy work.
For the second consecutive year, members of our NCARC team attended the symposium, setting up a booth and participating in and facilitating learning sessions. Deanna Chancellor, Kimee Wind-Hummingbird and Bethany Black engaged with MDT professionals throughout the week, discussing the role of Native Nations in state and community efforts.
A key takeaway from these discussions was the realization that many professionals were serving Native families but not keeping track of who they served. In Oklahoma, the CAC where I worked made it a priority to ask families not only if they identified as Native but also if they were Tribal members/citizens or eligible for membership in a Native nation. Identifying Tribal affiliations helped us provide culturally appropriate services and ensured that Child Protective Services adhered to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
This year, Deanna presented “Three Considerations for Working with Native Nations,” which saw an impressive turnout. Her session underscored the importance of identifying and tracking services to Native children and families and fostering collaboration between CACs and Native communities/nations.
Beyond engaging with participants at the booth, we attended several impactful training sessions. Beth participated in three hands-on sessions, two of which focused on crime scene processing and MDT response simulations. These interactive experiences provided invaluable casework practice, reinforcing the importance of experiential learning over purely classroom-based instruction. By allowing professionals to navigate realistic case scenarios, this type of training ensures that mistakes can be addressed in a controlled environment—rather than in real-world situations where children’s safety is at stake. We’re excited to explore ways to incorporate similar training methods into our upcoming workshops.
Another standout session focused on media response strategies for CACs. This hands-on training guided participants through managing a potential media crisis, teaching them how to collaborate effectively with media outlets and how to develop crisis response teams and plans.
The Symposium on Child Abuse is an invaluable conference for professionals in the field, offering unmatched opportunities for education and collaboration. If you haven’t attended before, I highly encourage you to mark your calendar for the 42nd International Symposium on Child Abuse, scheduled for March 15-19th, 2026. It’s an event you won’t want to miss!