Conclusion

It is beyond the power of government to prevent this from being a world in which children suffer and die, but it is the responsibility of government to protect children and bring those responsible for mistreating them to justice.

Secrets That Can Kill: Child Abuse Investigations in New York State
New York State Temporary Commission of Investigation, 1996

If the thousands of professionals who have had the good fortune to be part of a successful MDT could contribute to this guide, they would likely say the team approach has made an immense difference in their communities and in their ability to do their jobs. They would relate first hand how the team improved the quality of child abuse and neglect investigations through enhanced communication and cooperation among its members. They would say that by pursuing a multidisciplinary team approach, they also reduced the number of interviews child victims faced and the length of the investigative process and intervention, thereby preventing further trauma to these children.

The MDT method of investigation significantly improves the response to child abuse. Forming and maintaining an investigative MDT will not be easy. At times during the process, people may be discouraged. It will perhaps seem easier to continue doing things "the old way" than to expend the effort to create an effective team. However, practice and experience clearly demonstrate that children and their families, communities, and the professionals serving them benefit greatly from the existence of an appropriately functioning MDT. The best mechanism to ensure that government fulfills its obligations to protect children and bring to justice those responsible for mistreating them is the cooperation, coordination, and collaboration of the responsible agencies in an investigative MDT.