Justice for Survivors: Exposing Abuse at Holley Child Care Center

The Holley Child Care and Development Center in Hackinack, New Jersey,  a facility meant to care for children facing trauma, developmental challenges, and psychiatric issues, is now at the center of serious allegations involving the sexual abuse of residents by staff.  Holley is operated by Youth Consultation Service, or YCS, a nonprofit that runs residential programs for children with special needs across New Jersey.

In May 2025, multiple survivors filed lawsuits against YCS, alleging they were sexually abused by staff at Holley and other group homes. These lawsuits accused counselors, teachers, nurses, even cooks, and supervisors of abusing children in their care. In one disturbing case, a staff member was charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old resident while knowingly infected with HIV. Despite arrest, Holley and YCS have continued to defend their hiring practices while staying largely silent about their failure to monitor staff or protect the children that they serve.

If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at Holley Child Care and Development Center, you have legal rights and options. Survivors in New Jersey can file civil lawsuits against the institutions that fail to protect them, including the Holley Center and YCS. These lawsuits can provide compensation for therapy, medical costs, emotional trauma, and more. Because of changes in New Jersey law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse now have until their 55th birthday to file a claim. For adults, the deadline is 7 years from the date of the assault. You can also report the abuse to law enforcement or oversight agencies like New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families. But before contacting oversight agencies or law enforcement, we highly recommend speaking with an experienced attorney.

A lawyer can help ensure your rights are protected throughout the process and help you explore your civil legal options. At Helping Survivors, we connect people impacted by sexual abuse with trauma-informed attorneys who understand these cases and offer free consultation. They will speak to you about what happened and your options, including filing a civil lawsuit on contingency. This means there are no upfront costs to speaking with someone and if they take a case, filing a claim. If you or a loved one experienced abuse at Holley Child Care and Development Center, please reach out to us today.