Anne Houston: Listening openly and expertly is the key to abuse cases

THE most important action we can take for the protection of children is to listen. Not listen only to the parts you want to hear. Not listen in order to get them to say what you want or expect to hear. But genuinely listen.

This active listening should form the whole basis of investigative interviews of children by social work and/or police when there is a concern about potential abuse. The interview should allow the child to tell their story. “Free narrative” is how this is described by Scottish Government guidance on interviewing children, with leading or closed questions avoided wherever possible. It is also essential that interviews are conducted at a pace determined by the child so that they don’t feel rushed or pressured.

Getting an interview with a child right is essential. If mistakes are made at this stage, court cases will fall because evidence has been influenced. The truth will be muddied or stay unknown, with children who have suffered or are suffering abuse left unprotected.

And many children will have to be put through an often traumatising, upsetting and definitely unnecessary formal procedure. Children are too valuable to allow that to happen.

That is why Children 1st believes it is essential that those conducting interviews with children are fully and intensively trained. They should know clearly what is and is not appropriate in questioning. They should be clear about the purpose of the interview, and police and social work should work closely together. Wherever possible, only one interview should take place, and it should always be held somewhere where the child feels most comfortable.

Efforts should be made to build rapport with the child to help them feel relaxed and able to speak freely. They should be allowed to have someone there with them to be a comforting and supportive presence in the face of such a formal procedure.

Given that technology is now widely available, investigative interviews with children should always be visually recorded. This means the child’s own words, as well as their tone and body language, can be noted. If the child needs to give evidence in court, the recording can be used as evidence, saving the youngster the trauma and difficulty of repeating their whole story again.

Not much of this is rocket science. If there is going to be an interview of a child, it has to be done well. Professionals in this position have to make sure that their approach is child-friendly. It is also important that they are suitably trained and kept up to date with changing procedures. Anything less is not only regrettable and inconvenient, it also risks the dignity, wellbeing and safety of a child.

Anne Houston is the chief executive of Children 1st.