Child Abuse Investigation Team

Child Abuse Investigation Team/Unit are units within police forces of the United Kingdom, responsible for investigating offences relating to minors.

Within the London Metropolitan Police Service, CAIT is an Operational Command Unit within the Specialist Crime Directorate.

CAIT Objectives:

• Thorough and unrelenting investigation into all related cases.
• Ensuring a secure conviction for the guilty.
• Further prevention of abuse.
• Supplying aftercare to victims such as counselling or psychiatrist.
• Promoting awareness of abuse.
• Helping victims rebuild lives.
• Monitoring known abusers.

Within the Metropolitan Police Child Abuse Investigation Command and is part of the Specialist Crime Directorate. There are 19 borough Child Abuse Investigation Teams, and five specialist sections:

• The Major Investigation Teams investigate child homicide and complex abuse enquiries within a family environment.

• The Paedophile Unit investigates the activities of organised paedophiles and those who manufacture and distribute paedophile material/child pornography.

• The Hi-Tech Crime Unit provides technical support and investigates Internet-based child abuse.

• The Safeguarding Children and Development Unit provides information and support to the MPS on prevention and partnership initiatives and works with the London Child Protection Committee. It also supports the Safeguarding Children Independent Advisory Group and other community partnerships in prevention and education within distinct communities in London.

• The Ports Safeguarding Team are a small team of detectives based at Heathrow Airport working closely with UK Visas and Immigration dealing with child protection issues, which include child trafficking, child abduction and the monitoring of high-risk sex offenders entering and leaving the UK.