The Victoria Child Abuse Prevention & Counselling Centre (VCAPCC) has a nearly half-century history of providing specialized, trauma-informed care in the Greater Victoria region.
- The 1984 Foundation: The centre began as a grassroots initiative called the Victoria Child Sexual Abuse Society. It was co-founded by Mary Manning, a retired nurse, and Rita Milot, an art therapist. Together, they recognized a massive gap in local healthcare and began offering dedicated treatment specifically for child survivors of sexual abuse.
- Growth and Evolution: For decades, it stood as the only non-profit agency in Victoria exclusively dedicated to treating child victims of abuse and preventing abuse in all its forms. As the organization grew, its name was formally changed to the Mary Manning Centre under the Child Abuse Prevention and Counselling Society of Greater Victoria in 1995 to honor Manning's foundational legacy.
- Modern Rebranding: The society eventually shifted its public operating name to the Victoria Child Abuse Prevention & Counselling Centre (VCAPCC) to clearly mirror the specialized services it provides to the community.
- 2021 Downtown Expansion: In 2021, the VCAPCC underwent a major relocation to a new facility in downtown Victoria. This move allowed all of their specialized programs—including child-centred therapy spaces, art and play therapy rooms, and dedicated, child-friendly forensic interview rooms—to be co-located under one roof to maintain absolute confidentiality and family comfort.
Today, the centre coordinates directly with local schools, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, mental health providers, victim services, and the police to advocate for and support more than 600 children and youth annually.