Forensic interviews of child victims of abuse are conducted at the Child Advocacy Center either by our Interview Specialist or by professional members of our team who have received advanced training in child interviewing. Interviewers follow guidelines on forensic interviewing developed by APSAC (American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children) and avoid questions that might be considered suggestive or coercive. The interviewer avoids suggesting to the child what might have happened or who the abuser might have been and prompts the child to provide details.
Forensic interviews conducted at the Child Advocacy Center are recorded on a DVD. What your child has to say is important. We want to reduce any chance of confusion as what was said. We also want to minimize the number of times your child has to talk about what happened.
However, the DVD cannot be used in court. Your child may still have to testify if the matter goes to trial.
The DVD does not remain at the Child Advocacy Center. The original is provided to law enforcement and a copy is provided to the prosecuting attorney. The prosecuting attorney, not the Child Advocacy Center, controls who has access to the DVD.
There is an observation room where other members of the professional team can watch the interview as it is being conducted so that they can make sure all questions that need to be asked are asked. We limit those professionals who are allowed in the observation room to law enforcement, child protective services and the prosecuting attorney.
Parents and caregivers are not allowed in the interview room or the observation room during the interview. It has been our experience that children are often reluctant to tell about what has happened when the parent is in the room. Your child may fear that it will only upset you further and may leave parts of the story out. Also, as you can imagine, parents find it hard to remain quiet during the interview and want to help their child by answering questions for them. This can compromise the investigation. Your non-verbal reactions to what you are hearing can also cause your child to shut down. These guidelines are not set up to keep you in the dark regarding what your child is reporting. The professional conducting the interview will discuss the interview with you when it is over and answer any questions. We find that most parents do not want to know all the details.
The length of the interview depends on the child and what is being reported. Interviews can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as 2 hours. With young children, it may be necessary to break the interview up into a couple different visits to the Center.
Most of the children we see at the Center are brought here by a parent or caregiver. If law enforcement is not certain who caused the abuse or are concerned that a parent or caregiver may try to influence what the child says, law enforcement does have the authority to bring a child to the Center without parental consent. This is a policy determined by the law enforcement agency.
Some Important Tips to Parents Before the Interview is Conducted
It is important to discuss with the professionals ahead of time any special needs your child might have during the interview.It is also helpful if the interviewer is aware of any special words or terms your family might use, especially for body parts, so the interviewer is not caught off guard.
Be sure to share any concerns you might have with the forensic interviewer ahead of time. The interviewer can help you better understand the process and reduce your worries.
As a parent, you should tell your child that you are coming to the Child Advocacy Center to talk to a person who can help with what has happened to them.
Do not tell your child that they are coming to the Center to play or to meet a special friend. Be truthful, but be brief. Do not suggest to your child what they are to say. Do not try to coach or rehearse your child ahead of time.
Give your child permission to tell the truth about whatever they might be asked.
Do not offer your child bribes or reward for telling, such as “If you do a good job, we can go to McDonald’s afterwards for a Happy Meal.”
The professional conducting the interview will plan on spending as much time as needed with your child before the interview to help them feel safe and comfortable. We realize this is a person your child doesn’t know and that we need to take our time.