Need for a Team Approach

Over the past two decades, the number of reports of child abuse and neglect has greatly increased, straining resources to investigate allegations effectively. A number of cases have been the subject of intense media coverage. Although helping to raise public awareness of the problem, this coverage has also led to a backlash that includes charges of government witch-hunts on the one hand and accusations of government inaction on the other. Whatever the perception, there is significant outside pressure on professionals to act promptly, yet professionally and correctly, when faced with a report of child abuse or neglect.

Research related to child abuse has increased dramatically in the same period. More information than ever before — in the areas of specialized child development issues, victim and offender dynamics, diagnostic imaging, traumatic memory, linguistics, forensic pathology, and others — is available to help practitioners discover the truth of a report. Moreover, to meet the competing demands of child protection, due process, and family preservation, laws have been repeatedly changed and refined in the areas of evidence, procedure, and definitions related to abuse and neglect. The existence of such abundant yet diverse and technical data and legal requirements places significant demands upon professionals who investigate and prosecute these increasingly difficult cases.

No single profession or State agency has the ability to respond adequately to any allegation of child maltreatment. Indeed, several professions and State agencies are mandated to report or investigate suspicions of child abuse and neglect or to provide services to abused children or the perpetrators of abuse.

It is now well accepted that the best response to the challenge of child abuse and neglect investigations is the formation of an MDT. In fact, formation of such teams is authorized, and often required, in more than three-quarters of the States and at the Federal level. Hospitals have been using MDT's in a variety of ways for nearly 40 years.

The MDT approach often extends beyond joint investigations and interagency coordination into team decisionmaking. Team investigations require the full participation and collaboration of team members, who share their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Team members remain responsible for fulfilling their own professional roles while learning to take others' roles and responsibilities into consideration. An effective response to reports of child abuse and neglect is an investigation that is timely and objective and that causes the least possible trauma to children and families. Effective teamwork can prevent further abuse to children and can bring those who harm children to justice. Some of the recognized benefits of a proficient MDT include:

• Less "system inflicted" trauma to children and families.
  
  
• Better agency decisions, including more accurate investigations and more appropriate interventions.
  
  
• More efficient use of limited agency resources.
  
  
• Better trained, more capable professionals.
  
  
• More respect in the community and less burnout among child abuse professionals.

These benefits can translate into safer communities.