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“ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULT”

INTERVIEWING CHILDREN

This guide is intended to assist anyone who is responsible for taking statements from child clients,
witnesses or receiving complaints of abuse from children. It is a model for the essential interview
skills of listening, responding, questioning and recording. It is derived from the UK Achieving Best
Evidence model and the author’s years of experience as a trial lawyer in courts.

FIRST CONTACT
If a child comes to you with a complaint of abuse the first step is to assess:

a. The nature of the complaint from a short conversation--how serious is this? Can I or my
organisation deal with this and achieve the best result for the child?
b. The child’s needs. Eg learning, speech or mental disability, deaf, blind, medication, age and
capacity. Does he have a carer who can help with communication in interview?
c. Where would the interview take place---do you have a private room where you will not be
interrupted?
d. Who should be present as an observer and who will support the child? e.g. parent or guardian
unless they are or maybe the alleged abuser.
e. What is the earliest possible time within the next 24 hours that the child can be interviewed?

MAKE A PLAN
Whether you have one hour or one day before the interview, always plan the interview on the basis of
the information you have obtained from the FIRST CONTACT. The plan should focus on;

(i) Who will be the interviewer and the observer?

(ii) Is the room child-friendly, appropriate to this child’s age?
(iii) If the child has a need or disability that makes communication difficult, have you found the right
person to help in interview? Is that person someone the child trusts?
(iv) If recording on DVD or any other device, does it work?
(v) Have you made sufficient space in your timetable and alerted others to ensure that there will not
be any interruptions?
(vi) What are the aims of the interview? It is important to remain open-minded but you should be
clear about the purpose of the interview on the basis of your FIRST CONTACT. E.g.: reassurance or
referral to a support agency. Should you be doing the interview or talking to the child about involving
the Police immediately?
(vii) Have you alerted any support agencies or individuals whom the child may need after the
interview, without naming the child at this stage?

THE INTERVIEW
The following model is a highly effective, child friendly way in which to hear a complaint or take a
witness statement. Obtain as much relevant detail as possible, record it for any further investigation
OR procedure and reassure the child that he/she has been heard.

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Introductions
(i) Everyone says their name and who they are.
(ii) The interviewer explains why they are having the interview.
(iii) And what the roles of the interviewer and the observer are.
(iv) A parent or carer can be reminded that they are there to support and must not speak for the
child.
(v) It is explained to the child that he should say if he does not understand a question or needs
break.

Confidentiality
(i) What is said in this room, stays in this room, UNLESS:
(ii) The interviewer decides that other agencies need to be involved such as Social Welfare or the
Police.
(iii) That decision will only be made after discussion with the child and parents or carer and the
interviewer will make the final decision where there is a real risk of serious harm to the child or
someone else if other agencies are not involved.

Truth & lies

The most important rule for the interview is that everyone tells the truth. Once that has been said
there is a simple test of whether the child knows the difference between truth and lies. The
interviewer explains that she is about to do a test that is done with everyone to make sure that the
interview is accurate. The test is a question that can be adapted for the age of the child.

Question for a young child:

“If I said that I am wearing a red shirt (the interviewer’s shirt is blue) would that be the truth or a lie?”
If the child says ‘a lie’ ask “Why is it a lie?”, in case it was a guess.
If the child says ‘the truth’ ask a different question as the child may not know colours.
Eg. “If I said that this room does not have a roof (it does) is that the truth or a lie?”

Question for an older child:

“Arthur was in the yard kicking a football and broke the kitchen window with it. His mother came out
and shouted at him ‘Did you break the window?’ Arthur said ‘No it was not me’ Was Arthur telling the
truth or a lie?”

If the child says ‘a lie’, ask “What should Arthur have said?”.

If the child says ‘the truth’ try again with a different question and if the answer is still wrong do not
proceed with the interview. It may be necessary to ask for professional assessment of the child.

Caution. Why do children tell a lie in interview?

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For a number of reasons; to please the interviewer; because the child has forgotten; or to protect a
friend or even the abuser. If the child does appear to lie or is obviously inconsistent during the
interview, it is important not to assume he is lying about everything. The interviewer should carefully
and gently ask questions that will help the child to tell the truth or explain the inconsistency. The
interviewer’s role is to record an accurate account NOT to act like a Prosecution lawyer!

Building trust
Whether the child is young, a teenager, quiet or confident, it is important to spend some time making a
personal connection between her and the interviewer by talking about neutral subjects. This may be
school, a favourite football team, hobbies or friends. The interviewer should share some simple
information about himself so that the child does not feel that this is an interrogation by an authority
figure. That could lead to non-cooperation, partial disclosure or lies to please or divert the interviewer.
How long this part lasts will be different with each child. Using first names will help to create the best
connection.

NOTES
The interviewer explains that the child is now going to be asked to tell her story, in whatever way is
easiest for the child and that the interviewer (or the observer) will be taking notes.

FREE FLOW
The child should now be encouraged to tell her story in her own words, with minimal interruption
from the interviewer. Apart from making it clear to the child that the interviewer is listening by short,
encouraging responses. ‘Active listening.’ The interviewer should remember: WAIT!------- Why Am I
Talking!

QUESTIONS
When it becomes clear that the child has come to the end of her story the interviewer explains that he
would now like to ask some questions to make sure that the interviewer has understood everything.
Be careful not to make the child feel that she has made a mistake, left things out or somehow got it
wrong.
There are three types of questions that help create an accurate and reliable interview. The following
are examples only and are equally useful in court with child witnesses and defendants.

(i) OPEN. Encouraging the child to expand on parts of the story.

‘What happened next ?’
‘Can you tell me more about that part?’
‘Where did you go after that?’
‘How did you feel?’

(ii) CLOSED. Asking the child to provide facts and answers on specific subjects already mentioned
in the story.
How many people were there?
Who else was in the room?
Did you want to do that?

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(iii) REFLECTIVE. Using the child’s words, from your notes, repeat a part of the story back to the
child and ask for more detail.
‘ When you were telling me about the visit by your uncle you said “ I felt uncomfortable. He
gives me the wobbles” Can you tell me a bit more about the “wobbles”?
‘You told me that “my cousin came into my bedroom and touched me on my Mary”. Do you
have another name for your “Mary”?
Can you point to it/show me on the doll/draw a picture?”

There are four types of questions that create an unreliable and inaccurate interview.
(i) LEADING. Putting words into the child’ mouth.
When you said that you hate your uncle is that because he has done bad things to you?
Your Mary, is that your vagina?
Did you run out of the room because you were frightened?
How long were you in the bedroom for ?---when the child has only said ‘room’

(i) MULTIPLE. Several questions in one.

So when you were outside with your friend can you tell us his name where you went and how
long for?
This group of boys, what did they look like?

(ii) FORCED CHOICE. Questions demanding a ‘Yes or No’ answer or a choice between specific facts.
Did you put it in your pocket?
‘Was he thin or fat?’
Did you run away because you were scared or because you had been naughty?

(iii) CONFRONTATIONAL. Why, what, how, when?

Questions beginning with these words demand, rather than encourage an answer. A child can
easily feel under pressure from an adult interviewer and these questions may lead to answers
that are an effort by the child to please or resist the interviewer.

SEXUAL LANGUAGE
If a child discloses sexual abuse it will be necessary to ask questions about the details. If you are
embarrassed by that then the child will be even more so. Use whatever words or slang the child uses
for body parts but make sure the meaning is clear.

VISUAL AIDS
The use of dolls, diagrams, drawings and writing can sometimes help a child explain what has
happened. If the child has a disability it may be the only way. It is important to use a visual aid that is
appropriate to the child’s age. The interviewer also needs to be alert to the risk that a young child may
be encouraged by use of a doll to start playing and introduce fantasy.

CLOSING
When the interviewer has asked all relevant questions to clarify the child’s account, he can now
briefly summarise the important points from the interview. It is essential to do this. It reassures the
child that she has been listened to. The child should be asked if there is anything else she wishes to
say. If there is nothing it is time to end the interview.

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If the interviewer senses that the child has not disclosed everything that has happened,
perhaps because there is a significant gap in the story and questions have not encouraged the
child to say what it is, a reminder that the opportunity is about to pass can produce important
new disclosure. The interviewer should then return to encouraging FREE FLOW and
QUESTIONS to give the child a chance to disclose everything she wants to. There should not be
any pressure upon the child to do so. Beware of showing impatience. Children need to feel safe
to disclose abuse and it may be that despite your best efforts, today is not the day the child
feels able to do so.

(a)Thank the child for coming to the interview and speaking about what happened to her.
(b)Explain what will happen to the notes or DVD and what will happen after the interview.
(c)Ask the child and/or parent to sign the notes.
(d)Interviewer and observer sign the notes.
(e)Provide your office contact number.
(f)Do not make any promises that may not be delivered.
(g)It is important to end on a light, positive note. A reference to something from the BUILDING
TRUST section will reinforce the fact that you have listened and change the child’s attention to a
positive part of her life.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

You may have just heard a story from a child that makes you feel very angry or sad. Take time with
your observer to process strong feelings before moving on to the practicalities of what to do next. If
you do not have an observer and need to speak to someone about your feelings, remember the rule of
CONFIDENTIALITY. What was said in the interview by the child should never be discussed with others
who are not offering direct support to the child.

The notes, DVD or audio recording must be filed in a safe and secure place, signed and dated by
everyone who was present in the interview.

Decisions now need to be made about whether other agencies should be involved.

OBSERVATIONS
This model of interviewing is highly effective if it is followed carefully. To do it well requires practice.
Active listening and asking the right questions are essential skills that can be developed by repetition
and feedback. If you want to use the model please do so only after you have practised it with
colleagues. If a child comes to you with a complaint of abuse of any kind, be honest with yourself---are
you capable of conducting an interview that achieves the best result?

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