National Children's Advocacy Center

Forensic Interviewing of Children Training
2024-08-19 09:00 - 2024-08-22 16:30, 2024-06-10 09:00 - 2024-06-13 16:30, 2024-05-06 09:00 - 2024-05-09 16:30, 2024-04-01 09:00 - 2024-04-04 16:30, 2024-02-26 09:00 - 2024-02-29 16:30 (America/Chicago) | National Children’s Advocacy Center Training Facility, 210 Pratt Avenue NE, Training Building, Huntsville, AL, 35801, United States
The National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) Forensic Interviewing of Children training is an internationally recognized, research-informed and practice-informed intensive training. Participants will learn necessary skills to conduct a competent investigative interview of a child using the NCAC Child Forensic Interview (CFI) Structure. Participants will also be introduced to the evidence-based literature that supports the NCAC CFI Structure. This 4-day, interactive training is facilitated by practicing forensic interviewers who are well-versed in the current literature. The training includes lectures, skill-building activities, guided discussions, reflections, and an interview practicum in a supportive environment with assessment and feedback provided by experienced interviewers.

Interviewing Children on the Autism Spectrum
2024-08-14 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
Children with neuro-divergent 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 the 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 as well as the phases of a forensic interview.

Critical Thinking in the Forensic Interview: moving from rote to responsive practice
2024-07-22 09:00 - 2024-07-23 16:00 | National Children’s Advocacy Center Training Facility, 210 Pratt Avenue NE, Training Building, Huntsville, AL, 35801, United States
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.

Forensic Interviewing of Children Training
2024-07-15 09:00 - 2024-07-18 16:30, 2024-01-22 - 2024-01-25 | Virtual Training

Preparation and Adaptations for Interviewing Children with a Disability
2024-07-10 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
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 as well as the phases of a forensic interview.

Preparation and Adaptations for Interviewing Children with Mental Health Needs
2024-06-24 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
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 with 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, 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 as well as the phases of a forensic interview.

Forensic Interviews of Preschool Child Witnesses
2024-05-21 09:00 - 2024-05-22 16:00 | Virtual Training
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.

Interviewing Children with Problematic Sexual Behaviors
2024-05-01 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
Children exhibiting problematic sexual behaviors may be referred for a forensic interview. CAC forensic interviewers whose mission is to interview children about potential maltreatment they have experienced and not as offenders find themselves balancing their mandate with the goals of investigators and concerned parents. This training will provide information to help forensic interviewers distinguish normative from problematic sexual behavior in children, identify potential contributing factors to the behavior, dispel common misconceptions about these behaviors and children, and have a more robust and evidence-informed response to these cases. Interview adaptations and recommendations will be provided.
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.

Interviewing Children Who Witnessed Violence
2024-04-11 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
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.

Getting the Best Information from a Narrative Child Witness
2024-03-05 09:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Training
Forensic interviewers often focus much attention on strategies for interviewing reluctant children. Alternatively, 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.

Strategies for Interviewing a Reluctant Child Witness
2024-02-12 09:00 - 2024-02-13 16:00 | Virtual Training
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 which 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.

More Than One Interview: When, Why and How
2023-11-14 09:00 - 2023-11-16 16:00 | Virtual Training
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 is included.
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.
