You Don’t Have My Blessing to Pop the Question: Forensic Interviewer Insights for CPS Child Interviews
When a child discloses abuse, premature or poorly framed questions can compromise both the child and the case. This session offers forensic-interview–informed guidance on when and how to gather minimal facts while protecting the child, preserving evidence, and strengthening MDT coordination.
Suggested Audience: CPS and forensic interviewers, with value for victim advocates and law enforcement
Full Description: When a child discloses abuse, timing and technique matter. You Don’t Have My Blessing to Pop the Question explores how premature or poorly structured questioning by caseworkers can jeopardize the integrity of a child’s statement and the success of an investigation. This session, led from a forensic interviewing perspective, provides guidance on when and how to gather minimal facts without compromising evidentiary value. Participants will learn how coordinated, trauma-informed communication between CPS and forensic interviewers protects the child, preserves critical details, and strengthens the multidisciplinary team’s response from the first question to case resolution.
Learning Objectives:
Define and expand on child linguistics and how children can be interviewed incorrectly.
Understand the goals of questioning a child in a CPS interview and assessing for safety.
Learn and apply appropriate questioning techniques, how to assess for polyvictimization, and utilizing the MDT and forensic interviewer.
Speaker(s): Alison Sutherland
