Boone County Child Advocacy Center Inc BDA Sylvias

Named in memory of Sylvia Likens, whose tragic story more than sixty years ago led to Indiana’s first mandated reporting laws, Sylvia’s Child Advocacy Center stands as a living testament to the commitment to ensure that no child’s suffering is ever ignored again.

We carry Sylvia’s legacy forward by providing forensic interviews for children who have experienced abuse in a child-focused, child-friendly, and trauma-informed environment. Every interview is designed to reduce trauma, ensure each child’s voice is heard, and lay the foundation for healing and justice.

At Sylvia’s, we create a safe place where children can be heard, respected, and supported. We conduct legally sound forensic interviews that protect children from further trauma while ensuring their voices are documented for the court process. Since opening our doors in 2010, we’ve served more than 2,000 children in Boone County.

Beyond response, we are also dedicated to prevention through educating our community, schools, and families to recognize and stop abuse before it begins.

Through collaboration with law enforcement, child protection agencies, prosecutors, medical professionals, and advocates, we create a coordinated and compassionate response for children and families across Boone County.

Every act of support helps us continue Sylvia’s legacy—protecting children, empowering families, and strengthening our community for generations to come.