Child protection is never the work of just one organization — it takes a coordinated team to ensure the safety, well-being, and healing of children. When a child discloses abuse, a network of professionals steps in, each playing a unique and essential role. At The Dragonfly House, we work closely with several partner agencies to provide comprehensive support. Today, we want to introduce our community to three core partners: Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services (CPS), and the District Attorney’s Office (DA).

Law Enforcement

• Role: Investigate reports of abuse, gather evidence, interview witnesses, ensure immediate safety, and file criminal charges when there is enough evidence to meet the statutory requirements for a crime.

• Collaboration: Participate in forensic interviews at The Dragonfly House, and work closely with CPS and the DA’s office to build strong, prosecutable cases.

Why it matters: Law enforcement is the first line of protection and truth-finding, ensuring that those who commit crimes against children are held accountable under the law.

Child Protective Services (CPS)

• Role: Assess the child’s safety and well-being, ensuring that children have appropriate and stable living environments. When necessary, CPS connects families with local resources, support services, and intervention programs designed to help families succeed together. Their work focuses on protecting children from further harm while also strengthening family units whenever it is safe and possible to do so.

• Collaboration: Attend forensic interviews at The Dragonfly House, coordinate with law enforcement during investigations, and work closely with service providers to address the child’s physical, emotional, and environmental needs.

Why it matters: CPS plays a critical role in safeguarding children’s daily lives while also working toward lasting safe family solutions and opportunities for healing.

District Attorney’s Office (DA)

• Role: Review cases for prosecution, represent the state in court, and advocate for justice for victims. They coordinate closely with law enforcement to determine the best approach and options when deciding what, if any, criminal charges should be filed.

• Collaboration: Work with law enforcement to build strong cases, consult with victim advocates to support children through the legal process, and collaborate with DSS, as the insights they provide about family dynamics give prosecutors important context for handling each case effectively.

Why it matters: The DA’s Office ensures that children’s voices are heard, that justice is pursued responsibly, and that cases are handled with both care and legal expertise.

Our Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Meetings

Each month, The Dragonfly House brings together a wide range of partner agencies for Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings. These meetings ensure that every child’s case is approached with care, expertise, and collaboration from all angles.

Agencies represented at MDT meetings include:

• Davie County Sheriff’s Office

• Davidson County Sheriff’s Office

• Thomasville Police Department

• Lexington Police Department

• Denton Police Department

• Davie County DSS

• Davidson County DSS

• Davie County Schools

• Davidson County Schools

• Lexington City Schools

• Thomasville City Schools

• Brenner Children’s Hospital SANE Program

• The District Attorney’s Office

  
  

During these meetings, professionals share updates, review cases, and coordinate strategies to provide the best possible outcomes and determine the needed and necessary services and resources for each child and family. No single agency ever has the full picture of a family’s situation on their own — collaboration like this ensures that the most informed decisions are made, with knowledge that spans more than one aspect of a child’s and family’s life.

From Report to Response: How DSS and Law Enforcement Handle Cases

Step 1: Making a Report North Carolina has a mandated reporting law, which means that when there is knowledge — or even suspected knowledge — of child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment, everyone is required to make a report to either DSS or law enforcement.

• Report to DSS if the concern involves a caregiver (such as a parent, guardian, or custodian).

• Report to Law Enforcement if the alleged offender is not a caregiver.

Step 2: Screening the Report Once a report is made, it will either be:

• Screened In for further investigation, or

• Screened Out if the information provided does not rise to the level requiring an investigation at that time. Even if a report is screened out, it is documented, and additional reports in the future can prompt further review.

Step 3: Assignment to an Investigator If your report is screened in, the case will be assigned to an investigator who will contact you — sometimes immediately, depending on the nature of the allegations. It is very important to stay in contact with your investigators. Remember, they manage many cases and stay extremely busy, but ongoing communication is vital to moving the process forward.

Step 4: Referral to The Dragonfly House or Another CAC

 If the investigator believes that a forensic interview or services from The Dragonfly House are necessary, they will contact us — or, if the child does not live in Davie or Davidson County, the nearest Children’s Advocacy Center in their area.

Protecting children is a shared mission. Law enforcement, CPS, and the DA’s Office work hand in hand with The Dragonfly House — alongside our broader MDT partners — to provide safety, support, and a path toward healing for children and families.

People often form opinions about agencies and policies based on TV shows or social media, but these sources can be misleading and rarely show the full picture. The most accurate way to understand the process is to learn about the agencies who do this work every day and see how they collaborate to protect children.

By understanding each agency’s role, our community can better appreciate the coordinated effort it takes to safeguard children and support families in need.