Using Developmentally Appropriate Language When Interviewing Children

1
Using Developmentally Appropriate Language When
Interviewing Children

• Chris Newlin, MS LPC
• Harbor House
• 706-235-5437
• chrisnewlin_at_earthlink.net

2
Harbor House Mission

• Provide a child-friendly environment to interview
  children regarding allegations of sexual and/or
  severe physical abuse
• Coordinate the multidisciplinary investigation of
  these allegations
• Limit any additional trauma to the child

3
Introductions

• Role
• DFCS
• Law Enforcement
• Mental Health
• Other
• Function
• Interview
• Dont interview

4
Goal Of Training

• Improve your ability to effectively communicate
  with children
• Age at which specific details are likely to be
  expected
• Five types of questions and expected responses
• Three primary factors that may affect a childs
  responses

5
Even very young children can tell us what they
know if we ask them the right questions in the
right way. Anne Graffam Walker, Ph.D.
6
Age when specific details are likely to be
communicated
7
(No Transcript)
8
Identify different question types

• Did he have his clothes on, or off, or something
  else?
• What happened that time in the truck?
• I know someone touched you, who did that?
• Did your mom hurt you?
• What happened?
• She licked your pee-pee, didnt she?
• Was it your mom, your step-mom, or something else?

9
(No Transcript)
10
Review of training

• At what age can a child tell you about
• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• of times
• Circumstances

11
Review of Training

• What type of question yields the most narrative
  information?
• What type of question yields the least amount of
  useful information?
• What may diminish a childs responses?
• What may enhance a childs responses?

12
Finding Words Georgia

• Forensic Interview training for
• DFCS Investigators
• Law Enforcement Investigators
• Child Abuse Prosecutors
• Application for 2004 Trainings
• www.gachildadvocate.org/pdf/2004fwg-app.pdf