Interviewing Preschool Children

DO FORENSIC INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS WORK FOR PRESCHOOLERS? Introduction Professionals conducting forensic interviews of children routinely follow a structure derived from empirical evidence and practice knowledge. While multiple interview protocols are used throughout the United States, they reflect growing consensus about the essential phases of a high quality interview. Most simply, a forensic interview consists of a pre-substantive phase (focusing on establishing rapport and orienting the child to the particular demands of this unusual conversation) and the substantive phase which addresses the allegation and other topics of concern. Interview protocols typically break the two basic phases of a forensic interview into smaller components for purposes of training and maintaining the integrity of interviews. Read more