Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

[Pages:5]Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

Written and compiled by Debra Rothstein and Julie Kenniston, Butler County, Ohio

There are a few key issues to consider when interviewing children in domestic violence cases. First responders at the scene need to document whether children were present. This includes where the children were in relation to the act of violence. Be sure to document from where the information came.

First responders (in this case, usually law enforcement) should ask if there are children and where the children are. First responders should also ask about the age of the children and take down their names and relationship to the adults in the home. If the first responder has access to the child and the child is responsive to questioning, the first responder should be neutral and nonjudgmental, yet warm and engaging. Questions should be open-ended (see below). Any questioning of the child should be in private away from the batterer and non-offending parent. Understand that sometimes in the moment of crisis, the child will want to have an opportunity to tell what happened without interruption. On the other hand, some children will not want to discuss the event at all, so creating a safe environment for the child with an interview scheduled at a later time would be better. If the child is not accessible either physically or emotionally, the first responder should still inquire about the whereabouts of the child during the act of aggression. This information might come from the non-offending parent, batterer, or witnesses.

Was the child physically in the room? If so, was child within a sight line or perhaps hiding with an obstructed view?

If the child did not have a sight line to the aggression, where was the child and what did the child hear?

If the child is reporting an action, inquire from the child if they saw and/or heard it firsthand or if they were told what happened (or both). If they were told what happened, when and by whom were they told?

Note exact words used by the child and the emotional state of the child. Use behavioral language, not assumptions. If the child is crying, write "John cried as he said..." Do not write "John was sad as he described what happened." If the child is asking for someone, document whom the child is asking for and what the child said.

Note if the child sustained any injuries. Ask the non-offending parent if the batterer put hands on the child or if the child was engaged in the act of violence in any way (perhaps trying to intervene or something else). First responders can also ask the batterer if the child was involved.

Open-Ended Questions for Children

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Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

What happened tonight? Tell me everything that happened from the beginning to the middle to the end. Tell me about all the people who were here tonight. Are there other kids here? Tell me

about the other kids. Are there animals here? Tell me about the animals. How did it start? How did it end? Were there any guns, knives, or something else? Tell me all about (the guns, knives...).

Accurate documentation is crucial at this stage of the case. If a camera is available, pictures are a good form of documentation for not only injuries but also the condition of the home after the violence (e.g., holes in walls, broken furniture, broken glass).

Interviewing Children Post Event

When setting up an interview time and location after the violent incident, there are several considerations. Select a neutral site for the interview, not the home where the violence took place. Provide a safe environment where the child can relate the details of the event. One would not expect a rape victim to be interviewed where the violence occurred. Child victims of domestic violence merit this same approach.

The time and place should be conducive to the child's needs (i.e. not during favorite activities, nap time, meal time). The place should be neutral and private (away from caregivers and siblings). The number of interviewers present should be minimal.

The interview should be conducted by a trained, experienced person (in child welfare, law enforcement, or child interviewing).

The following is a suggested script for interviewing children in domestic violence cases. It is intended to reinforce narrative-inviting questions that maximize information from children. The interviewer uses his or her art of engagement while presenting in a nonjudgmental manner.

Hi [child's name]. I am [interviewer's name]. My job is [explain job in a developmentally sensitive way]. I haven't met you before, so tell me something you want me to know about you.

Now that you told me some things about you, I want to tell you about what we will do today. My job is to make sure that kids are safe. To do that, I need your help.

Topics for Exploration

Focus on positive interactions in the home (between parents or with the whole family).

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Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

Tell me about when your parents are happy (with each other/with you). How do you know when your parents are happy? What do your parents do/say to each other? What does being happy look like? What do you see/hear?

Ask questions about rules and roles in the home.

What are the rules in your family? Who makes the rules at home? What happens if someone breaks the rules? Do your parents have rules for each other? Tell me about the rules. Who has chores in the home? What are the chores? Tell me about what mom does at

home? What do you do at home? What does dad do at home? What happens if you do all your chores? What happens when someone doesn't do their chores? Who is in charge at home? Tell me all about that. Who takes care of you? Tell me all about that. Who is in charge of the money in your family? How do you know [person] is in charge of

the money? Do your parents fight about money? Tell me all about that. What other things do your parents fight about? Tell me all about that.

Ask questions that create a picture for you of what fighting is like in this child's home.

What happens when your parents are not happy with each other? What do you call that?

What happens when your parents disagree/fight? How do fights start? How do fights end? Think about the last time your parents fought. Tell me all about that from the beginning

to the middle to the end. What makes you angry? Tell me all about that. What do you do when you are angry? What makes mom angry? What makes dad angry? What does it look like when they are

angry?

If child has not disclosed domestic violence, consider these questions. Invite questions about changes in behavior that might show violent and controlling patterns.

Tell me about a time when your parents were not happy with each other. Can you tell when something is going to happen? Tell me all about that. How do you

know? What do you hear/see?

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Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

What do you do? What do your [siblings] do? (Use names of the siblings.) How do you know when it is over?

Additional Prompts

Who comes to your home? Tell me about that. Do you visit people? Tell me about that. Who are your mom's/dad's friends? How do you know they are friends? Do they come

to your home? What kinds of things do they do together? Tell me about other people in your family. Do you have a

grandma/grandpa/aunt/uncle/cousins? Tell me about them. Do you spend time with them? Have the police ever come to your home? Tell me all about that. Has someone gone to jail? Do you have pets? Tell me about [pet]. Tell me about a time [pet] made you feel better. Have you ever been worried about [pet]? Tell me all about that. Are there things you tell [pet] that you don't tell others? Who trained [pet]? Who takes care of [pet]? Has [pet] ever been hurt? Tell me all about that. Tell me about other pets you've had. What happened to [pets]? Do you have guns, knives, or other things like that in your home? Tell me all about them. Where are they kept? What are the rules about them? Who uses [them]? For what? Have you ever touched the guns/knives? Tell me about that. Does mom/dad scare you? Tell me all about that. Does mom/dad say or do things that make you scared? Tell me all about that. What other things scare you? Do you have concerns or worries? Tell me all about that. Who knows that your parents fight? How do you know that [person] knows? Who do you feel safe with? What is the reason you feel safe with [person]? Who can you tell when you don't feel safe? Tell me what you know about 911. Has someone called 911 during a fight? What happened? Have you ever tried to stop a fight? What happened? Has someone gotten hurt in a fight? Tell me all about that. Have you gotten hurt? Tell me all about that. Has there been a time that you didn't go to school because of a fight? Tell me all about that. Have things in your home been broken? Have there been holes in walls? Tell me all about that.

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Appendix Q First Responder Child Interview Suggestions

Do people throw things in your home? Who? Tell me all about that. Do people pull hair/choke/slap/kick in your home? Tell me all about that. Do people yell in your home? Has someone ever heard the yelling? Who? Tell me all

about that. Has someone told you that they were going to hit/hurt you? Have you been threatened?

Tell me all about that. Additional Information What do you know about medicine? Who takes medicine in your family? What happens

after [person] takes medicine? Do you see mom/dad take medicine? What does that look like? Where do they keep the

medicine? Where does the medicine come from? Do your parents fight over medicine? Do people smoke in your house? Who smokes? What does that look like? Tell me about beer, wine, drinking. Who drinks [beer, wine] in your home? How does

[person] act when drinking? What happens when people drink? What do you know about drugs? Do you see needles, powder, pills in your home? Tell

me about that. Who uses? Have police ever come to your home because of drugs?

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