NCJ Number
111911
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video describes a multidisciplinary approach to child sexual abuse investigation developed by the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Ala., one of five programs closely studied by the Police Foundation to identify factors that contribute to successful multidisciplinary efforts.
Abstract
The video surveys the physical setting of the National Children's Advocacy Center, a renovated house with special interview and therapy rooms for staff, children, and parents. A key program element is the weekly case review session where police officers, social workers, a therapist, a victim services representative, and a district attorney examine the status of all cases. Two case reviews illustrate the multidisciplinary system in action: one involves an 8-year-old child raped by a stepfather and the other a child molested by the mother's boyfriend. Several issues that creators of a multidisciplinary program will encounter are examined, such as tension among agencies, building and maintaining team bonds, and the need for the lead agency to convince others that change is needed. Interviews with staff emphasize that the team not only serves the best interests of the child victim, but also helps professionals cope with burnout. Also addressed briefly are planning and evaluation. Center staff comment that they would never go back to the old system. Addresses of four other programs studied by the Police Foundation are provided.