New home for center aiding abused, neglected kids in Lexington County

The experts who assist investigations into child abuse and neglect in Lexington County are settling into a bigger home.

The Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center’s move to Lexington from West Columbia will make it easier to handle a growing workload that reached 535 children last year, executive director Carol Yarborough said.

Its new facility puts the center near the hub of law enforcement in the 758-square-mile county, allowing faster attention to calls for help, she said.

“Being there will help tremendously,” Yarborough said.

The 20-year-old center is a partner with law enforcement, medical and social services officials.

Its experts provide independent evaluations of abuse and neglect allegations as well as therapy afterward.

The center’s focus is Lexington County, but the 11-member staff provides assistance around the Midlands.

A larger facility was needed as demands for service increase with steady population growth, according to Elizabeth Taylor of Lexington, chairwoman of the board overseeing the nonprofit center.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more children,” she said.

County deputies referred about 250 investigations to the center last year, using others with similar expertise as circumstances require, sheriff’s spokesman Capt. Adam Myrick said.

The Dickerson Center is known for its many “valuable contributions,” Sheriff Jay Koon said.

“To have an accredited child advocacy center such as the Dickerson Center moving right down the road from us is a positive for our special victims unit and those it serves,” he said.