Law enforcement professionals are often asked to collaborate in the investigation of severe cases of physical or sexual abuse. It is important that child welfare and law enforcement professionals are able to provide a coordinated response to children and youth who are victims or are at risk of maltreatment. The following resources address training curricula and materials to help law enforcement professionals better understand the child welfare system and the overlapping issues affecting each system.
Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence Toolkit (PDF - 3,461 KB)
International Association of Chiefs of Police & Yale Child Study Center (2017)
Provides tools and resources to assist law enforcement agencies in enhancing their response to child abuse and neglect investigations.
Law Enforcement Response to Child Abuse (PDF - 2,365 KB)
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (2014)
Explains law enforcement's role in child abuse cases, from the initial call through the investigation and court proceedings.
Responses to the Problem of Child Abuse and Neglect in the Home
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (2010)
Outlines law enforcement considerations for an effective response to child abuse and neglect in the home and includes a section on multidisciplinary teams and their response to child maltreatment allegations.
Teamwork and the Different Roles in Investigating Child Abuse
Beshears (2015)
Stresses the importance of teamwork among police, social services personnel, medical personnel, and others when investigating cases of child abuse. This article provides information on police interviews of children and the dangers of untrained questioning.