Interviewing a Child Victim or Witness

How to Obtain Reliable Information Without Additional Trauma

Why Is Proper Interviewing of a Child Victim or Witness Important?

A child is often the only accessible source of information about what happened. Many cases against those suspected of child abuse go unresolved due to inadequate investigations or improperly conducted child interviews. The justice system requires clear, consistent, and reliable information from child victims or witnesses.

What Makes a "Reliable Witness"?

• The ability to recall and convey information accurately
• Understanding the difference between truth and lies
• The ability to understand questions and indicate if they don’t understand
• Resisting suggestive questions
However, interviewing a child victim or witness often presents challenges that may go unnoticed by the interviewer, impacting the completeness and reliability of the child’s account and their emotional well-being. Unfamiliar environments and poorly phrased questions can affect the accuracy of the information provided. Inadequate interviewing techniques can also retraumatize the child, reinforcing their sense of victimization.

NICHD Protocol for Child Victim Interviews

To obtain a complete and credible testimony from a child, the NICHD Protocol is used—a structured tool developed by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Based on extensive research, this protocol translates scientific knowledge about child memory, communication, and social skills into practical directives for interview quality improvement. Studies over nearly a decade involved both psychologists and detectives.

Research has clarified several important points: • Children can remember and report past events.
• Reliable information can be obtained from children, but it requires careful procedures.
• The quality of information depends largely on the professionalism of the interviewer.
• Open prompts (like "Tell me what happened") allow children to provide more narrative and detailed accounts.
• Over 50% of information from children emerges through open-ended recall, regardless of age.
• Free-recall statements are 3-5 times more informative and reliable than responses to direct or closed questions.

Types of Questions and the NICHD Protocol Structure

1. Open Prompts • Encourage free narration (e.g., "Tell me what happened" or "What happened next?")
• Follow-up prompts for more detail (e.g., "You mentioned... tell me more about that")

2. Direct Questions • Specific but non-leading, e.g., "What color was the shirt?" or "Where did it happen?"

3. Closed Questions • Yes/No (e.g., "Did he threaten you?")
• Multiple choice (e.g., "Was he sitting, lying down, or standing?")

4. Suggestive Questions • Should be avoided (e.g., "He kissed you, didn’t he?")
The NICHD Protocol Structure involves:
• Introduction: Introduction, explanation of video/audio recording, and discussion about the truth and behavior guidelines.
• Establishing Rapport: "I want to get to know you better. Tell me what you like to do."
• Memory Practice: Discuss a recent memorable event.
• Transition to Interview: Open questions about the reason for the visit, any signs of abuse, etc., followed by specific open questions about incidents.
• Break: Review the information provided by the child and plan the remaining interview.
• Exploring Disclosure: Gather details from previous discussions or physical signs of abuse.
• Clarification of Disclosure: Who knows, how they found out, and who else might know.
• Conclusion: Thank the child, ask if there’s anything else they want to share, and provide contact information.
• Neutral Conversation: End with a neutral topic, such as "What will you do after you leave here today?"

Key Practices 1. Avoid:
o Starting the interview without establishing rapport
o Asking "why" questions (which can imply blame)
o Using suggestive or leading questions
o Rushing the child or asking complex questions
o Encouraging the child to imagine or guess
2. Do:
o Follow the protocol structure
o Explain the purpose and importance of the interview
o Encourage free narration
o Use open-ended questions
o Highlight specific information the child has mentioned for clarification

Children who share less about their experience often need additional support, not coercion. Even when interviewers know the guidelines, applying best practices consistently can be challenging and requires skill development and reinforcement.