assessing child maltreatment: interviewing processassessing child maltreatment: interviewing process...

Assessing Child Maltreatment: Interviewing Process

Monday, March 02, 2015

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Slide 1 - Welcome

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Welcome to the training on Assessing Child Maltreatment: Interviewing Process. Developed and presented by the Indiana Child Welfare Education and Training Partnership.



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Slide 2 - Assessment Interviews

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Once a Family Case Manager has determined when to conduct an interview (based on the Initiation Timelines), he or she must then determine the following:

Who they are required to speak to if Exigent Circumstances are met, if the assessment requires the involvement of Law Enforcement. Refer to policy 4.29 for more information regarding Joint Assessments.

URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.29_Joint_Assessments_(Investigations).pdf



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In this training, participants will learn who they are required to interview during the scope of an assessment, and in what order. Participants will learn basic interviewing principles, where interviews should take place, and other general interviewing guidelines.

You will become more familiar with these Policies: 4.4-Required Interviews, 4.5-Consent to Interview, 4.6-Exigent Circumstances, and 4.9-Interviewing Children.



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It is required, by Policy 4.4 that some interviews take place face-to-face, while others may occur over the phone.



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When conducting an assessment, it is required that the FCM speak face-to-face with the alleged child victim, all other children living in the home, one or both of the parents, guardians, or custodians, and the alleged perpetrator.

For more information about Required Interviews, follow this link to Policy 4.4. (URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.04_Required_Interviews.pdf)

And for more information about Interviewing Children follow this link to Policy 4.9. (URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.09_Interviewing_Children.pdf)



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An FCM may conduct a face-to-face or telephone interview with the report source, identified witnesses, and any professionals who are believed to have first-hand knowledge relating to the allegations.

Exceptions: Report source is required unless it is anonymous. Identified witnesses and professionals are required unless there are none, in which case the FCM needs to document in MaGIK that there are no witness and/or professionals.



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Interviews should always be conducted individually, not in group settings! You can review Policy 4.4 by clicking on the link below.

URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.04_Required_Interviews.pdf



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DCS will secure the consent, or permission, of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian prior to interviewing a child who is: an alleged victim of abuse or neglect, an alleged child perpetrator, a potential witness or collateral contact.



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If both parents have physical custody of a child, either parent may give consent. However, once one parent denies consent to interview, it is inappropriate to seek permission from the other parent. If the child’s parents do not live together, consent must be obtained from the custodial parent.



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When gaining permission to interview the FCM should have parents sign the consent to interview form. Click anywhere on the image of the Consent to Interview Form to view and print copies for your reference.

(URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.05_Consent_to_Interview_Child.pdf)

It is acceptable to obtain verbal consent but it should be a last resort. When done a witness should be present to hear that consent was given (for example, an FCM should have phone speaker on). Then, the FCM must follow-up by getting a signature for consent as soon as possible. Also document the date and time that you spoke with the responsible party, as well as keep detailed notes of the conversation.



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Exceptions to Policy 4.5 include: After a reasonable number of attempts have been made to locate and contact the parent, guardian, or custodian, resulting in no successful contact. Attempts must be made at various times of day and include multiple methods of contact attempts. Consent is not required if the child is under the care of DCS and parental rights have been terminated. Consent is not required if the child is committed to a Department of Corrections facility.



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There are times when it is not required to gain permission from a child’s parent, guardian, or custodian before interviewing them. This is referred to as Exigent Circumstances. Exigent Circumstances override the necessity of Consent to Interview, due to concerns for the alleged victim’s safety and well-being.



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Exigent Circumstances exist when:

• The parent, guardian, or custodian is the alleged perpetrator.

• Or is allegedly aware of the maltreatment of the child victim and has not assured his or her safety.

• Delaying the interview or notifying the parent, guardian, or custodian may jeopardize safety of the alleged victim.

• Or prevent the collection of essential evidence.

• A homeless or unaccompanied minor is voluntarily in a shelter or facility without the presence or consent of a parent, guardian, or custodian.



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An FCM will determine when to use Exigent Circumstances based on the best judgment and assessment of all the available information at that time.



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Central office will support the decision of an FCM to use Exigent Circumstances if they:

• Based his or her decision on the best interests of the safety and well-being of the child.

• Sought supervisory validation if the FCM was unclear about whether or not the safety and well-being of the child may have been compromised by seeking consent prior to interviewing.

• Clearly documented his or her rationale in the assessment records.



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After completing an interview via Exigent Circumstances, an FCM must notify the parent, guardian, or custodian within 24 hours of completing the interview, and provide them with the Notice of Interview. Click on the Notice of Interview form to print copies for your reference. Click on this link to review Policy 4.6, Exigent Circumstances.

URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.6__Exigent_Circumstances.pdf



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Upon completion of every assessment, it is required that a written report of the complete assessment be prepared. Families are entitled to a copy of this report. FCMs must provide families with a copy of the Notice of Availability, which will include the report number and instructions regarding how to request a copy of the report.

Click on the image to view DCS Policy 4. The Notice of Availability is located at the bottom of the page, under forms and is available in English and Spanish.



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Before we move on, let’s review what we’ve learned so far...



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Mark each circumstance that qualifies an FCM to conduct an interview without Consent to Interview OR Exigent Circumstances. You may select multiple options. Once you select your options, click ‘submit’. You will be given three chances to select the correct answers.



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Now that we have looked at the DCS Policy regarding whom to interview, and the process for gaining consent to interview children, let’s look at how interviews should be conducted.



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Family Case Managers obtain crucial information from interviews conducted with children, families, and community members. Through these interviews, Family Case Managers gather information to make decisions and implement plans. The success of the assessment process relies heavily on the interviewing skills possessed by Family Case Managers.



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There are several common objectives to consider during an interview. They include:

• Determine the nature and scope of the abuse and or neglect.

• Assess the victim’s physical and emotional condition.

• Determine if the child and family needs immediate intervention.

• Assess the alleged perpetrators to determine if legal involvement is necessary to protect a child.

• Determine if the non-offending parent believes the allegation and whether the parent is willing and able to protect the child.

• Provide support to the child victim and family.

• Identify immediate needs of the family and initiate supportive services.



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The Family Functional Assessment Field Guide is a resource that provides Family Case Managers with strength-based and solution-focused questions to help a family tell their story. You can find the FFA Guide in the Participant Resources Section of your ACM Manual.



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The FFA is intended to be a resource guide to assist FCM’s in completing a holistic assessment.

It can be used to help Family Case Managers complete the Initial Risk, Initial Safety, and Caregiver Strength and Needs Assessments.

Using the FFA can help an FCM identify areas where information is lacking or requires clarification.

Using these questions can limit the FCM’s opportunity for bias, as they allow the family to tell their story in their own words.

The FFA is not a checklist.

Review the FFA Field Guide in the Participant Resource Section of your Assessing Child Maltreatment manual. You will complete activities using the FFA Field Guide during class.

Not all questions will fit every family. Ask questions that are most relevant and applicable to the assessment.



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Now, we will review some general principles for interviewing children, families, and community members.



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Create an interview plan. Determine who will be interviewed, which questions you will ask, in what order will you ask them, and the best place to conduct the interview. The plan should protect the victim and other alleged victims.



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Be flexible and prepared to change the plan as new information arises. Use the FFA Field Guide to help you establish questions that will reach your goals.



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Allow time for a thorough interview. Do not jump to conclusions. Do not rush the process



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Remain Calm. Do not take things personally. Do not appear upset, angry, judgmental, or sad.



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Remain Objective. The interview is intended to determine the facts of the allegation. Open-mindedness is essential in facilitating a fair, unbiased interview.



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Maintain an objective demeanor.

• Be conscious of your verbal and non-verbal reactions so that you…

• Do not Condone or Criticize statements.

• Do not Reinforce statements.

• Do not prompt an interviewee to respond in the way that he or she perceives is pleasing to you.



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Control the Interview. It is your responsibility to implement the best plan for the family, so you must not allow interviewees to prevent the collection of important information by ‘high-jacking’ the interview from you.



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Be careful when asking Why questions. These types of questions can put people on the defensive causing them to shut down and stop cooperating.

Eliminate these questions when possible.



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Remain Sensitive:

Always remember the difficult nature of child abuse and neglect cases for all family members. Do not become accusatory in your questions or attitude.

Be mindful of the emotional trauma being experienced by all family members.



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Make Your Expectations Clear. Explain your role and your goals for the interview. With children, you can establish rules to help them understand. Let’s look at some examples. Here are some helpful hints…



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If I misunderstand something you say, please tell me I’m wrong.



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If you do not understand something, please tell me so I can say it differently.



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Even if you think I know something, tell me anyway.



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If you don’t know an answer, do not guess. It’s ok to say you are not sure or that you do not know the answer.



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Only talk about things that are true and really happened.



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Document. Document. Document. It is critically important to take detailed notes of your interview. Keep a paper record of your notes, and document them in MaGIK.



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It is best practice to follow a particular order when completing Assessment Interviews. The child victim should be interviewed first, then any siblings, the non-offending parent or parents, while the Perpetrator should be interviewed last.

Reference Policy 4.4, Required Interviews.

(URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.04_Required_Interviews.pdf)



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Interview the child victim first, to minimize the potential for contamination of their statement by those made by the perpetrator, or other individuals. The child victim may also provide additional information to help guide other interviews.



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Interview all children living in the home, including children who live there only part of the time. Also, interview any children who were present at the time of the alleged incident. It is your responsibility to inquire about the household composition. Refer to DCS Policy 4.9 for more information.



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There are some situations in which you would interview the non-offending parent before the victim. For example, if Exigent Circumstances do not apply, you need their consent before interviewing the child. The non-offending parent may also provide information regarding developmental delays or needs of the child.



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The perpetrator should be interviewed last. Conducting the other interviews first will allow you the opportunity to collect more facts and evidence about the allegation to better prepare you for interviewing the perpetrator.



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FCMs should also interview the Report Source (usually before any other interviews), witnesses, and professionals who have first-hand knowledge of the allegations. These interviews do not require a specific order, but should take place before the Perpetrator interview.



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Whenever possible, the interview location should be:

• Neutral.

• Non-threatening.

• Free of potential distractions.

Let’s take a look at some specific things to consider…



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When selecting a room or location for an interview:

• Limit the barriers in the room. Do not sit behind a table if you can avoid it.

• Minimize the amount of furniture in a room when possible.

• Limit the number of toys and other items that could be distractions to a child.



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Presence of Others:

• The child should be interviewed separately from other family members.

• Interviews should never be conducted in the presence of or within hearing distance of the alleged perpetrator.



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Presence of Others:

• Non-offending parents may refuse to allow the child to be interviewed alone. In that instance, the non-offending parent may be present. Before the interview begins, you should explain these guidelines…

• They must sit behind the child.

• They may not respond verbally or non-verbally to anything the child says or does, since any reaction from them could influence the child’s behavior and statement.

• If the parent’s behavior is influencing an interview, the FCM should attempt to interview the child alone. The FCM may stop the interview, and seek a court order to interview separately if necessary.



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It is important to note that individuals are not obligated to speak with DCS. A court order may be requested to interview a child if access is denied within the course of an assessment.



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Click on the link to review Policy 4.9. Interviewing Children.

URL: http://www.in.gov/dcs/files/4.09_Interviewing_Children.pdf



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Let’s review what we have learned. In order to complete this training you will need to answer all of the questions correctly.



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On each of the quiz slides, answer each question by clicking on the radial button next to the correct answer. You must answer each question correctly before moving on.



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Thank you for taking the training on Assessing Child Maltreatment. Interviewing Process! ELM will reflect your completion of this training within 24-48 hours. Developed and presented by the Indiana Child Welfare Education and Training Partnership.

assessing child maltreatment: interviewing processassessing child maltreatment: interviewing process...

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