There are many critical elements to conducting reliable and defensible interviews with child victims or witnesses of abuse or violence. However, there is nothing as critical as comprehensive and ongoing training for those who carry out such interviews. With this training comes knowledge and understanding of how children experience and disclose their abuse, the developmental differences in children’s linguistics, and normal sexual development. This session will discuss several elements that might assist in assessing the internal reliability of a child’s interview statements.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will identify elements necessary to evaluate the reliability and credibility of a child’s report of abuse
Participants will explain how children experience and talk about violence and victimization and how that information may be presented in court
Professionals will demonstrate techniques and skills to elicit corroborative information from children’s reports
