The Vault Expert - What Might a Child be Communicating Before They Can Explain What is Happening?

Patti Katter welcomes Alicia Chandler of Servius Group for a conversation about school safety, child protection, and the opportunities to intervene earlier. Drawing on 22 years in law enforcement and her experience interviewing more than 2,000 children, Alicia shares how her work responding to abuse shaped her commitment to prevention.

Together, they explore changes in behavior that deserve attention, why listening to the small things helps build trust, and how online relationships can become opportunities for manipulation. Alicia discusses her concerns about children’s access to social media, the pressures that follow them beyond the school day, and why children need to know they can ask for help even after doing something they were told not to do.

The conversation also looks at the role of teachers, coaches, counselors, and school resource officers. Alicia explains how Servius works with school communities to identify their particular vulnerabilities, provide tailored training, and help adults recognize concerns and take appropriate action.

For parents facing a possible exploitation situation, her message is to remain patient, keep showing up, and seek support. A change in behavior does not automatically mean abuse, but it can be a reason to pay closer attention and start a conversation.

Topics Discussed:

- Alicia’s transition from responding to harm to working in prevention.

- Why children may communicate distress through behavior before telling an adult.

- Changes in attendance, friendships, mood, appearance, and school performance.

- Building trust through consistent, everyday conversations.

- Helping children ask for help even after sharing a photo or breaking a rule.

- Online grooming, gaming conversations, hidden accounts, and social media pressures.

- How schools can build relationships with trusted adults.

- Community-specific school assessments, training, and response pathways.

- Supporting families when exploitation may be occurring.

About the Guest:

Alicia Chandler works with Servius Group and brings more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, investigations, and child protection. In this episode, she discusses her work as a forensic interviewer, her experience speaking with more than 2,000 children, and her work training multidisciplinary teams around the country.

Connect with Servius Group:

Website: https://www.serviusgroup.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/servius-group