Child advocacy centers: Perspectives from frontline child protection workers in Michigan, USA

Abstract

Providing a coordinated response to child abuse among professionals from diverse fields has the potential to improve outcomes for children and advance justice in abuse cases. The multidisciplinary team model, implemented through child advocacy centers in the United States, has been widely adopted to facilitate such collaboration. This study conducted ten interviews with child protective services workers in Michigan, United States, to examine their experiences working with child advocacy centers and engaging with multidisciplinary teams. Findings reveal that child advocacy centers are viewed favorably by child protection workers. A notable aspect of collaboration included support for investigative processes. Strong relationships between child protective services workers and staff from child advocacy centers emerged as a key facilitator of engagement with multidisciplinary teams. However, participants identified challenges such as feeling undervalued and misunderstood by team partners and community members, as well as logistical barriers related to scheduling and coordination of child forensic interviews. Participants also recommended improvements to training and education provided by child advocacy centers for multidisciplinary team partners. This study highlights the importance of sustained multidisciplinary collaboration and positive working relationships to improve responses to child abuse. Recommendations include strengthening partnerships between child protection agencies and child advocacy centers through cross-agency training, improving communication of child protection policies to community stakeholders, and addressing logistical challenges faced by child protective services workers. Formalized methods for fostering and maintaining relationships are essential to advancing the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams in addressing child abuse.