Guidelines for the team effort were developed by the Lothian Child Protection Committee. In these guidelines each agency has a set of procedures that must be followed in relation to its own duties and responsibilities when responding to a referral pertaining to child protection. In addition, a uniform and structured policy channels all such allegations through one route, thus avoiding confusion and duplication of efforts. Integral to the guidelines is continuing training and education, interagency audit, and peer review. The joint pediatric-forensic examination intends to encompass within a single examination the child's need for medical care and the need to obtain and document fully any forensic evidence. Designated pediatricians are now responsible for taking the lead role in the conduct of the examinations, and in the last 2 years they have worked closely with police surgeons. The pediatrician has the central role in the assessment of the child's development and general physical health, and the police surgeon assists with the description and interpretation of any injuries found, with attention to their possible causation and whether the cause was likely to be accidental or nonaccidental. This article proposes a formal accreditation process for doctors who wish to specialize in the field of child abuse examinations. Data are provided on child protection referrals to the team as of March 31, 1996, some 2 years after the team began operating. 11 references