Client evaluation of a consultation team on crimes against children

OBJECTIVE: Cases of child abuse filed in court as crimes against children represent a small percentage of the total numbers of children maltreated. However, studying crimes of maltreatment against children is important for individual victims and their families, and for theory and policy in order to assure that these cases are managed as well as possible. Forensic consultation teams can perform several functions related to child abuse crimes: provide multidisciplinary expertise in the evaluation of maltreatment cases, offer a method for allocating resources between cases managed by the criminal justice and child protection systems, and provide important research and teaching opportunities. This study reviews the role played by multidisciplinary team consultations based on the perception of client professionals whose agencies pay for an outside consulting forensic team. METHOD: Professionals referring to a forensic team for consultative assistance were asked to evaluate the service during telephone interviews, responding to both structured and unstructured questions. RESULTS: Responding professionals (N= 18) stated that the team increased their confidence that the approach being taken to a case was correct (94%), that missing expertise was provided (100%), that progress was made in cases that might otherwise not have been made (55%), and that ambiguity was reduced (in 83% of referred cases). Using the team sometimes caused delays. Some delays were unacceptable administrative delays while others were considered necessary to assure completeness of the evaluation. CONCLUSION: The use of the team did not result in resolution of all of the cases referred, but referral to the team consistently provided closure for referring professionals. In one-third of the cases studied, if it had not been for the START consultation the cases would not have proceeded to an appropriate criminal or civil resolution.