Bring an NCAC Trainer to You - 2024 Training Opportunities

This training is a four-day course that takes place from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm CST. Participants are expected to complete six hours of self-paced pre-work which consists of selected readings and interactive recorded exercises. A pre- and post-training knowledge check will be administered. All components of training must be completed to obtain a certificate of completion.

Topics covered in this course include the following:

• NCAC Child Forensic Interview Structure
• Dynamics of Abuse
• Forensic Conversations
• Child Development
• Memory and Suggestibility
• Pre-Interview Planning
• Inclusive Forensic Interviewing
• Interview Practicum and Assessment
• Transition Strategies
• Effective Courtroom Testimony

Effective forensic interviewers must possess a broad repertoire of skills. Additionally, forensic interviewers should develop a critical thinking framework to accommodate the needs of the child and the investigative team, especially in highly complex cases. This training focuses on preparing interviewers to make thoughtful decisions throughout the entirety of the interview. Suggestions for engaging with investigative partners in the adaptations will be addressed.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers wishing to improve their planning, thinking, and decision-making processes throughout the forensic interview as well as working effectively with investigative partners.

Mastering the use of optimal questioning strategies and legally defensible social support requires additional training beyond an initial one-week class. This course deepens interviewers’ understanding of the why and how of effective questioning strategies and the provision of sensitive and targeted social support. Opportunities for practice are provided.

This training is highly recommended as the first follow-up training for newer interviewers as well as those who wish to refresh and update their skills.

Forensic interviewers and multi-disciplinary partners recognize the shortcomings of strict adherence to a “one and done” interview approach. Research provides some clarification of reasons why a child may need more than one interview and limited recommendations for implementation, leaving forensic interviewers and their investigative partners with little clarity about how to apply this information to day-to-day practice. This training will review supportive literature, introduce a decision-making process for selecting appropriate cases, and guidance for conducting follow-up forensic interviews. Recommendations for explaining and defending the multi-session approach are included.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers who have developed some comfort and flexibility with the continuum of questioning strategies and the phases of a forensic interview.

This course is an introduction to a supervision model for forensic interviewers beginning with a review of basic principles of supervision and offering strategies for developing an effective supervision process that can be tailored to the resources of the child advocacy center and community.

This training is recommended for experienced forensic interviewers and executive directors interested in introducing an effective supervision model for forensic interviewers. Chapter representatives interested in establishing a regional or statewide supervision program are also welcome.

The role of the forensic interviewer within the CAC continues to evolve, calling for a greater level of competence and skill. Limited opportunities for peer review are no longer sufficient to meet this goal. Long recognized in medicine and mental health, supervision is an established relationship between a senior practitioner and junior colleague(s) focused on advancing skills in implementing best practices, supporting resilience, and increasing a sense of professional identity. This training will introduce an array of supervisory principles and approaches.

This training is recommended for experienced forensic interviewers wishing to build skills and confidence around providing ongoing information sharing, skill building, and support of less experienced interviewers.

Forensic interviewers encounter a variety of forms of reluctance in child witnesses. Forensic interviewers are challenged to adopt a single strategy as reluctance is often the result of a complex interaction of factors including external and internal influences. This training offers an opportunity to do a deep dive into possible sources of reluctance and provides a “toolbox” of strategies for providing support and tailored questioning approaches that may be helpful to a reluctant child witness.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers who have developed some comfort and flexibility with the continuum of questioning strategies as well as the phases of a forensic interview.

Forensic interviewers often focus much attention on strategies for interviewing reluctant children. There are also skills to be developed and generously applied when interviewing a highly narrative child. The use of invitations, breadth and depth questions, open and specific ‘wh’ questions and limited use of option posing questions provides a framework for understanding and moving through a child’s narration of remembered event(s).

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers at any level who wish to increase their ability to obtain the most complete and accurate information from a child witness.

Children may witness situational or chronic violence in several ways including domestic violence in the home, living in a violent neighborhood, and/or witnessing an assault or murder of another person. Even when a child is not physically harmed, witnessing incidents of violence takes a toll on their body, heart, and mind. Memories may be fragmented, and recall can trigger strong physiological and emotional reactions. If a child is potentially a key witness to the events that happened, it is important that they are interviewed in a sensitive and timely manner.

This training will provide guidance for conducting a trauma-informed interview with a child and working cooperatively with investigative partners.

Forensic interviews of preschool children are challenging, calling for knowledge of early childhood developmental abilities and limitations, as well as strategies for developing rapport and maintaining engagement with a preschool witness. A nuanced ability to adapt questioning approaches and the interview protocol to the temperament and linguistic ability of each child is necessary. This training focuses on deepening understanding of preschool capabilities as well as strategies for obtaining information from the youngest witnesses.

This training is recommended for child forensic interviewers who have received no formal training on interviewing preschool children, as well as those who lack comfort in interviewing this population.

Children with a disability are at high risk for victimization. Forensic interviewers well trained in their discipline may lack confidence when speaking with a child with a disability as it is unrealistic to expect that an interviewer be well versed in the impact of the wide variety of disabilities on a child’s behavioral, cognitive, linguistic, and emotional functioning. This training will address pre-interview preparation, collaboration with investigative partners, interview adaptations, and the importance of critical thinking decisions through the forensic interview.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers who have developed some comfort and flexibility with the continuum of questioning strategies and the phases of a forensic interview.

Children with neurodivergent disorders such as ASD are at an increased risk of child maltreatment. This population presents challenges for forensic interviewers as there is great variability in functioning including unique memory and cognitive processes, linguistic style, understanding and expression of emotions, and forming connections with others. Many of these children can provide information about their experiences if the interviewer is able to adapt questioning approaches and interview strategies to meet the needs of this child. Preparation and flexibility are key. While providing a review of possible domains of impact on functioning, this training will focus on tips for information gathering, preparation with the investigative partners to set reasonable expectations, and adaptations to questioning strategies and interview phases.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers who have developed some comfort and flexibility with the continuum of questioning strategies and the phases of a forensic interview.

Children referred for a forensic interview during an investigation of maltreatment may also present with either a diagnosis or concerns about their mental health including but not limited to PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety, and sleep disorder. They may also present concerning behavioral indicators such as a history of self-harm, suicide ideation or prior attempts, and anger management issues. The forensic interviewer has two primary goals: eliciting the most complete and accurate information possible for this child and mitigating additional trauma or harm to the child from the interview process. This training will address issues of screening, assessment, and strategies for interview adaptations including managing emotional and behavioral responses during the interview process. The involvement of investigative partners and other CAC staff will be discussed.

This training is recommended for forensic interviewers who have developed some comfort and flexibility with the continuum of questioning strategies and the phases of a forensic interview.