Interviewing Children and Families in cases of Domestic Violence

1
Interviewing Children and Families in cases of
Domestic Violence
2
Overview

• Domestic violence defined
• Emotional impact on children and domestic
  violence
• Interviewing and assessment
• Proper documentation
• Recommendations and/or services
• Supervised visitation

3
Types of Domestic Violence

• Verbal
• Emotional
• Physical
• Sexual

4
Defense Mechanisms

• Defense mechanisms are the childs
  interpretation of the experience and their
  learned ability to survive and cope with stress.
• Idealizing the parent
• Caretaking parent or siblings
• Blocking events
• Suppressing memories

5
Emotional Impact on Children of Domestic Violence

• Emotional
• Cognitive
• Behavioral
• Physical

6
Interview and Assessment

• How to Conduct the Interview
• Explain your role to the child.
• 2. Ideas for helping children in the Interview
• Using tools or props to interact with child
• Kinesthetic Family Drawing for ages 3-11
• Student Worksheet for ages 12-17
• What children need to hear about domestic
  violence.

7
Report Writing for GAL/CASA

• What is appropriate for report writing
• Use of direct quotes
• Behaviors
• Environmental factors
• Information from collaterals
• Facts only
• What is inappropriate for report writing
• Emotional language
• Opinions, judgments and biases

8
Recommendations for Services

• Full parenting evaluation
• Drug/alcohol evaluation of parent
• Supervised visits
• (professional vs. unprofessional)
• Counseling

9
Supervised Visitations

• Intervene and Report
• Talking negatively about the other parent
• Taking a victim stance (blaming, manipulating)
• Non-verbal behaviors (the look, not addressing
  the child directly)
• Raising voice at the child or you
• Physical and/or verbal outbursts (emotional,
  angry)
• Question the child about the other parent
• Any discussion of child support