A Child Interviewer's Guide (Interpersonal Violence: The Practice Series)

Developed for child interviewers by child interviewers, A Child Interviewer′s Guidebook integrates comprehensive coverage of research along with extensive clinical experience. Created in an accessible format, this guidebook is written by a group of authors with more than 60 years of collective experience in the field of child interviewing. The authors′ multidisciplinary backgrounds include former child protection service workers, a police officer, an attorney, a psychologist, and a social worker. The authors′ understanding of the clinical realities of child interviewing and their ability to integrate these with current research make this book a unique synopsis of the art and science of forensic interviewing of children. The book′s coverage of forensic interviewing topics is complete, from deciding which children could benefit from a forensic interview, gathering background information, and preparing the room, to posing appropriate questions and using tools, to closing and documenting the interview. Special topics covered include memory and suggestibility, responding to non-disclosure and false allegations, working with special needs children, and managing abuse allegations in the context of custody disputes. A Child Interviewer′s Guidebook is clearly written and organized so it may also be used as a quick research reference for court appearances.