Email from Alliance For Children Thankful for our Team! A Spooky Good Time for our Clinical Kids The week of Halloween brought more treats than tricks to the children partaking in our Clinical Therapy Group Counseling Program. Held at all three locations on "group night" (as we have grown to lovingly call it), a mini carnival of games and yummy goodies awaited our children after completing their counseling session. See the below photos to take in a bit of their excitment! Behind the Verdict: Stronger Together By: Sydney Brock, Special Victims Unit of the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office A strategic offender, David targeted single moms with young children on dating apps. As a result of his charm, in 2023 David gained access to a three-year-old girl living in Arlington. Soon after beginning his relationship with the child’s mother, he moved in with the family and quickly tried to fill the role of stepdad to the little girl. Just two weeks after marrying her mother, David sexually assaulted his new stepdaughter. Although tiny, this brave child shared her heartbreaking disclosure with the forensic interviewer, which marked the beginning of her incredible journey to healing, strength, and justice. Working alongside the Forensic Interviewing Team at Alliance For Children, a detective with the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Arlington Police Department confirmed David’s identity and gathered details pertaining to the sexual assault. Due to unique circumstances in this case and the child’s disclosure immediately after the sexual assault occurred, male DNA obtained during the victim’s Sexual Assault Nurse Exam (SANE) led to additional evidence as it matched the perpetrator through testing. During the investigation, the detective also located a previous child victim who outcried that the same perpetrator sexually assaulted him when he was also three-years-old. Thanks to the thorough work of the Arlington Police Department, Child Protective Investigations, Cook Children’s Medical Center, and Alliance For Children, the Special Victims Unit (SVU) of the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office had the necessary evidence to help both victims get the justice they deserve. To begin her healing journey, the client began child-centered play therapy with one of Alliance For Children’s registered play therapists. As with all children, play was her first language; a safe and powerful way for her to express what words couldn’t. Fortunately, not only was she highly verbal for her age, but at a unique developmental stage. She was able to transition from play-based to talk therapy as her healing progressed, a modality that best fit her needs at the time. While she was on her healing journey, SVU received the case filed by the Arlington Police Department and a trial date was set. This past September, this child faced a new challenge: the court system. As the trial process tends to reopen old trauma wounds, the family was reengaged in services provided by Alliance For Children in the months leading up to court. In compliance with a defendant's rights per the United States’s Constitution, when requested, victims, even those as young as three, must testify against their abuser in court. Through court preparation provided by Alliance For Children’s Family Advocate Program and by re-entering therapy, this victim faced her abuser with confidence. After four long, emotional days of court, the jury found the perpetrator guilty of “super” aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced him to 50 years in prison. A “super” aggravated sexual assault is an offense that occurs when the child is under the age of six or if the offender has been previously convicted of a violent sexual assault of a victim under the age of 14. This survivor is now receiving post-court care from Alliance For Children, where she will be empowered to continue to heal, thrive, and return to the simplicities of childhood. This verdict brought justice to these victims and could not have happened without the coordinated efforts of every facet of the Multidisciplinary Team. It continues to remain evident that these cases are stronger, and healing is possible for every child abuse victim in Tarrant County because of the thoughtful, tailormade efforts for every child in need of the children’s advocacy center model. SAVE THE DATE Saturday, February 21, 2026 Live! by Loews - Arlington Alliance For Children proudly presents our 16th annual Let’s Play Bingo! Ladies Luncheon, an afternoon of festive cocktails, a delicious lunch, a silent and live auction, raffles, prizes, and of course, BINGO! This unforgettably fun day brings Tarrant County women together for a common cause: the prevention and healing of child abuse. Get ready to get wild!  Tables and tickets are available now! Birdies for Charity Recap We are honored and humbled to be included in the list of organizations that were not only highlighted, but also supported via the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club this past Spring. Because of efforts made at the Tournament coupled with donations made to Alliance For Children at that time, we received $8,657.11 from Colonial Charities in support of our children and their healing. Christmas Connection 2025 The holidays can be an especially stressful time for the families we serve, especially with so many resources already in the balance. To help alleviate some of that strain, our pop-up store, Christmas Connection, empowers our protective caregivers to shop for children in their care at no cost. Using a point system, the caregiver self-selects special, unique gifts for each child in their home. We stock our store with a variety of new, unused items to fit every child's different interests and passions. Want to help provide holiday magic for Tarrant County kids? Use the link below to contribute or contact Alyssa Carey at [email protected]. Help Fill our Sleigh for our Kids! Interested in being an elf and making Christmas Connection extra special via your time and talents this year? Contact Brandi Beckwith at [email protected]. Upcoming Community Education Classes Whether you're a professional who works with children, a concerned individual who wants to educate yourself, or a parent eager to better protect their child, you can attend our educational trainings to empower yourself, raise awareness, and prevent child abuse from taking place! Register for our upcoming classes at no cost, or schedule a presentation for your group of like-minded friends or colleagues. Below are our 2026 Training Dates: Let's Talk (English) - Tuesday, January 13 and Saturday, July 18 via Zoom Stewards of Children (English) - Saturday, January 31 at 3609 Marquita Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76116 Child Abuse Prevention 101 for Youth Serving Professionals (English) - Saturday, February 21; Tuesday, May 12; Saturday, August 15; Saturday, November 14 via Zoom Responsible Internet Safety for Kids (R.I.S.K.) (English) - Saturday, April 18 and Tuesday, June 9 via Zoom To schedule a class specific to your needs or interests, please contact [email protected]. Upcoming Holiday Closures While we are always on-call for Tarrant County's child abuse victims, our Centers will be closed in observation of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Centers will be closed on the following days: November 27-28 for Thanksgiving December 24-25 for Christmas December 31 - January 1 for the New Year   Visit our website Donate Alliance For Children | 3609 Marquita Drive | Fort Worth, TX 76116 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice