A new Child Advocacy Centre is set to open in Calgary, to help four key agencies better work together in the battle against child abuse.
The announcement is welcome news for the paternal grandparents of Elizabeth Velasquez, who was murdered as a 14-month-old baby.
Her grandparents say the months leading up to Elizabeth’s death were filled with red flags, as the young girl had suffered several broken limbs.
Her grandparents worried she was mistreated, and called officials to warn of their suspicions several times. However, the province left the girl in the care of her mother.
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“There’s pain there that’s never going to go away, but all we can do is move on move ahead and learn from the mistakes,” says Bruce Anderson.
Preventing this kind of tragedy is one of the goals of building the new Child Advocacy Centre.
“The Velasquez case is a tragic reminder of why this is so urgent,” says Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson.
It’s believed the centre will be located across from the Children’s hospital.
Alberta Health Services, Social Services, Calgary Police and the Crown Prosecutors Office will all work together inside the building, hoping to curb child abuse.
“You’ll enter a building that’s child friendly… all the help you need under one roof, that has all the agencies working together in an environment that’s comfortable for the child and comfortable for the victims and the family,” says Hanson.
Even more important than the agencies being under the same roof, is a new model for working together.
“We have to be able to communicate more quickly, more seamlessly, share info better and more rapidly,” adds Hanson.
The centre is slated to open later this year, and the Andersons feel it will bring positive changes.
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