The Carousel Center

The Carousel Center’s mission is two-fold: to meet the physical, emotional and psychological needs of children who have suffered physical or sexual abuse; and to improve the community through child abuse education and prevention. The Carousel Center vision is that each child served will have a better life after they leave the Center. Founded in January 2000, The Carousel Center, Inc. (TCC) opened its doors due to the efforts of the Wilmington Junior League, NHRMC ED, Departments of Social Services, District Attorneys, and the Rape Crisis Center of Coastal Horizons. This collaboration of community professionals recognized that child abuse victims had special service needs, both to address medical needs, preserve forensic evidence (to ensure holding child predators accountable) AND, most importantly, for the child survivors and their families to have quality therapy services to heal from the traumatic impact of the abuse. Since opening its doors, TCC has provided Child Medical Examinations (CMEs) to over 4,000 children, and more than 7,800 trauma therapy sessions. In FY 2016-2017, TCC surpassed a heartbreaking milestone, the most children served in ONE YEAR: 501 unduplicated children; 29% under age 7 (average age = 9 years); 74% reported to have been sexually abused.