Training & Resources

Forensic Interviewing Training Model

Forensic interviewing is a vital and specialized role at the heart of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) model. For decades, the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) has been a global leader in this field, renowned for our expertise and commitment to excellence. Our team of world-class trainers are not only active forensic interviewers but also contribute to cutting-edge research and remain at the forefront of evolving trends and best practices.

In recent years, the NCAC has enhanced its professional development programs to align with the growing body of forensic interviewing research and the latest advancements in adult learning methods. This ensures that our training continues to meet the highest standards, equipping forensic interviewers with the skills and knowledge needed to support children with care and precision.

The NCAC focuses on training and supporting forensic interviewers at every stage of their career from establishing a strong foundation to increasing skills beyond the basics:

Forensic Interviewing of Children Training

Forensic interviewing requires foundational training, and the NCAC Child Forensic Interview Structure is globally recognized as a top model. The NCAC’s Forensic Interviewing of Children training is updated annually to reflect the latest research and best practices.
This introductory training is designed for new interviewers or those who need a refresher course. Courses are offered multiple times throughout the year, both virtually and in-person.

Click here for upcoming training opportunities or fill out this form to bring this training to your group.

Click here for upcoming training opportunities or fill out this form to bring training to your community.

Advanced Forensic Interviewing Training Model

Ongoing development is crucial for enhancing forensic interviewers’ skills. Advanced courses offer targeted training on key competencies, delivered through focused curricula designed for skill integration. These courses require prior completion of a foundational forensic interviewing course (NCAC, CFIS, or similar) and active involvement in the field.

  • Increasing Skill in Forensic Interviewing of Children
  • More than One Interview: When, Why, and How
  • Critical Thinking in the Forensic Interview

Choose one or more of these topics to bring to your team. Interested? Fill out this form.  Or Click here for scheduled Advanced Forensic Interviewing training opportunities.

Trainings on Interviewing Specialized Populations

Adapting the interview process is sometimes necessary to meet the unique needs of each child. The NCAC offers specialized courses to equip interviewers with the skills and tools for gathering meaningful data using evidence-based methods. Topics include the following:

  • Reluctant Children
  • Children with a Disability
  • The Highly Narrative Child
  • Children with Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB)
  • Preschoolers
  • Children who have Witnessed Violence
  • Children on the Autism Spectrum
  • Recantation Interviews
  • Testimony Preparation
  • High-Risk Youth

Click here for current training opportunities or fill out this form to bring a training to your community.

Training for Supervisors

Providing meaningful and effective supervision for forensic interviewers requires additional support, and the NCAC offers courses for both new and experienced supervisors. These courses cover key supervisory principles and coaching strategies to support forensic interviewers.

  • Intro to Supervision
  • Supervision

    • Click here for current training opportunities, or fill out this form to bring training to your community.

    Mentoring and Consultation

    The NCAC values mentoring and consultation in the development of forensic interviewers and supervisors. Their formalized process offers personalized feedback on recorded interviews, group discussions, and a review of current research to refine interviewing skills.

    Mentoring and Consultation Groups receive applications once per year. To learn more about Mentoring and Consultation opportunities for your team, fill out this form.

    Bring NCAC Training to Your Team

    Give your team the skills and confidence they need to excel. Our expert NCAC Forensic Interviewing Instructors can deliver engaging, high-impact trainings tailored to your group’s needs—at your location or virtually. Whether you’re training new staff or enhancing advanced skills, we’ll help you get results.

    Ready to get started? Let’s plan your training experience. click here for more information.

    What forensic interviewers are saying about our forensic interviewing professional development opportunities:

    I found that his training has been very helpful in how I will approach starting a new interview. As an older interviewer it is easy to fall into a rote routine. This training has helped me understand the importance it is to start new interviewers at a slower pace, and really building on the basic skills. The training has also helped me frame my questions before starting an FI.

    I thought this weeks training was extremely valuable. I am very new to interviewing children when my role is usually interviewing the suspect/ offender. I believe this training will help me in my career and further my experience in conducting interviews in both areas of child and adult. I am not usually fond of online/ virtual trainings as I am a hands on learner but I thought this training was engaging and well put together. Thank you so much!

    This was an amazing training and I learned so much from this. Learning different ways to be able to ask preschoolers questions on their developmental level has grown my knowledge as an interviewer and I cannot wait to put it into practice.

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