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Durant Children's Center director thanks Sumter City Council, details services and caseload
Summary
Valerie Williams, the new director of the Durant Children's Center, briefed the Sumter City Council on the center's child-focused forensic interviews, medical and therapy referrals and reported service counts (567 children in 2025; 219 Sumter residents served so far in 2026). She invited council members to tour the facility and distributed informational materials for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Valerie Williams, director of the Durant Children's Center, told the Sumter City Council she sought the moment "to thank you" and to explain "what a resource you have in the Durant Center" and how the council's support has helped sustain operations. "As the mayor stated, I am Valerie Williams. I'm a brand new director, but I've only been there for 2 months," she said.
Williams described the center as a child-focused facility that provides recorded forensic interviews, on-site forensic medical assessment when needed, and referrals to therapists. She said the center's multidisciplinary team includes family advocates, therapists and forensic interviewers and that early intervention reduces long-term social and economic costs by strengthening families and contributing to safer neighborhoods. "In 2025, the center served 567 children," Williams said. She added that the four Durant centers together had already served 559 children in 2026 across Florence, Darlington, Williamsburg and Sumter, and that Sumter residents alone were at 219 for the year.
Williams thanked the council for proclamations and partnership support and listed local partner agencies: the solicitor's office, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, the city police department, the Department of Social Services and the Guardian ad Litem program. She invited council members and staff to call the center to arrange tours and distributed packets with information and a pinwheel pledge for Child Abuse Prevention Month. "We could not do this without our partners," she said.
Councilman Calvin Hastie praised the center and its staff, saying he had represented young people in the court system for 17 years and called the center a "tremendous asset" because it reduces repeated interviews and delays that can add trauma. Councilman Shaw was also credited with bringing attention to the center during his time on the council.
The presentation concluded with Council acknowledgement and thanks; Williams left packets and a small token in council members' folders and asked the council to join the pinwheel pledge to help prevent child abuse. The council did not take any formal action on the presentation; Williams said resources in the packet could be used by members and staff and offered facility tours.
