CFI Practice

What is Delay Disclosure

Delay disclosure is when there is a delay from when the abuse happen to when it was disclosed.

Where did you receive your training?

I received my trining through the Washington Crimnial Justice Trining Comission.

How many interviews have you done?

What is the washingtonn state Child Forensic Interview guidelines?

They are the child forensic interview guidelines we follow, they are based on the National Institute of Children Health and Human Development.

What is the National Institute Of Children health and Human Development.

It is a group of experts in the fields of Memory, Child Interviewing, and child Psycology.

Why is this WA state protocol best practice?

It is best practice because: it is conducted by a trained interviewer, recorded, reaserch based, improves the quality and amount of information obtained in a investigative interview, and minimises suggestibility.

6 step guidelines:

Introduction, instruction, Narrative Event Practice, Transition, Substantive Cuestioning, and Closure.

Introduction

Explain name, role, documentation, people present.

Purpose: Establish Comfort, Trust, and Awareness, of interview purpose.

Instruction

Explain and Practice key interview instructions and elicit a promise to tell the truth.

Purpose: Increase- truthfulness, child’s ability to answer questions, and acuarasy. Decrease- guessing.

Why Promise to Tell the Truth?

Reaserch shows: Increases honesty, decreases lies, offers seriousness of of the interview, and offers information about the child ( hesistant, reluctant, express they can’t)

Narrative Event Practice

When we practice speaking about a neutral-non-abusive event int he child’s life.

Purpose: Teach child patter of open ended questions, build repor with the child, asses for child’s use and understading of language, and willingness to answer questions.

Transition

When we introduce topic of concern in the most open ended and non suggestive way possible.

Substantive questions

When we use open ended questions to elicit details, elaboration, and clarification, about the childs abuse experiences.

Closure

We bring the child back to balance ( re-establish equilibrium).

Purpose: Asses for child’s safety, level of support, and thank the child for talking to us.

Why are the 6 steps imortant?

They are important because it improves the quality and amount of details gathered during an investigative interviewand reduces suggestibility.

Sggestibility

Is the degre to wich ones memory can be infuenced by misinformation and suggested information.

What is a Forensic Interviewer?

A trained neutral and objective professional who has conversations with a child at the request of law enforment and CPS, to elicit details about allegations of abuse and neglect.

What is a Forensic Interview?

A developmentally sensistive and structured conversation with a child, intended to elicit details about a possible event a child may have experienced or witnessed.

What is a Child Advocacy Center?

A safe focus enviroment that coordinates the child forensic interview and treatment of child abuse cases.

What is a multidiciplinary team?

A team of professionals involved in making decisions about how to help children based on the child forensic interview.

What is delay diclosure?

A delay from when the abuse happened to when it was disclosed.

Explain Delay Disclosure?

It can be anything from: Denial-Partial disclosure- to full disclosure.

Reasons why children delay disclosure:

1. Fear

2. Guilt

3. Shame/embarresment

4. Stress

5. Loyalty

Fear

• Fear they will get in trouble

• Fear they will get hurt

• Fear alleged perp will hurt others

• Fear of being blamed by others

• Fear of lossing offenders affection

• Fear Alleged perp will go to jail

Guilt

• Child believes its their fault for saying ‘no’ or not stoping the abuse.

• Child received special attention from AP ( gifts, feeling special)

Shame/ Embarresment

• Embarresment to tal about private parts

• Child believes its only happening to them, they think something must be wrong with them.

• It’s a private family matter and must be kept in the family.

• They are emabarresed that they liked how it felt.

Stress

• Having to recall details about abuse or recall details that causes them to get upset.

Loyalty

• Child promised not to tell

• Child cares for offender and dosent want them to get in trouble.

• Child feels family will be better of if abuse is kept as a secret.

Why might a child recant?

• Preasure form family

• Child lives in a shared home with AP

• To make it go away and not think about it

• Wanted the abuse to stop but not be investigated.

Under what cicumstances might a child disclosed?

• There has been a change in family dinamics ( Ap moved out)

• child can’t tolerate abuse anymore.

• Child met a friend who disclosed to them and that makes them feel safe to disclose.

Peer Review

I participate in two peer review groups:

• Tom Lyons Child Interview Lab, through the University of Souther California.

• The Washington State Children’s Advocacy Center.