Safety & Well-Being (SAW) Clinic

The Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics at Lurie Children’s offers the Safety and Well-Being (SAW) Clinic. This multidisciplinary clinic provides a wide range of clinical services and support to patients and families in cases where child maltreatment is either suspected or has been identified.

In order to provide the best care and safety for the patients, please be aware that it may be important to discuss the concerns and patient presentation — as well as how to proceed — with the SAW team when calling with a referral to the clinic.

These services may include:

• Medical assessment of children, including medical imaging and laboratory tests
• Psychosocial evaluation of children and families by a licensed clinical social worker
• Coordination of various disciplines and professionals within the hospital, as well as with collaborating agencies
• Help with resources for families, providers and collaborating agencies

The multidisciplinary team includes the following disciplines:

• Attending Physician: Board-certified child abuse pediatrician
• Fellow Physician: Pediatrician in training to become a child abuse specialist
• Social Worker: Performs psychosocial evaluations, provides social and emotional support and assists caregivers throughout the assessment process
• Child Life Specialist: Expert in child development who helps minimize stress for children during potentially challenging experiences and promotes coping through play and age-appropriate preparation and education
• Nurse: Provides care by assisting the team in exams, treatments and routine care