ChildFirst^® Forensic Interviewing Protocol

The ChildFirst^® forensic interviewing protocol brings the field into the classroom, enhancing the education of front-line child abuse professionals. This course is designed for investigative teams of law enforcement officers, social workers, prosecutors, child protection attorneys and forensic interviewers. Students receive training on the ChildFirst^® Forensic Interview Protocol, child development, memory and suggestibility, testifying in court, legal issues and preparing children for court. This training incorporates lecture and discussion, review of electronically recorded interviews, skill-building exercises and an interview practicum.

About ChildFirst^®:

• 19 states, 839 Counties and the countries of Japan and Colombia have or are in the process of developing a five-day course modeled after the ChildFirst^® program
• 9,200 professionals have been trained at a State or National course

ChildFirst^®: The Course

ChildFirst^® is a unique approach to forensic interviewing for several reasons:

• ChildFirst^® was designed by and for the front-line child abuse professional.
• Courses teach students to apply the latest research to real-world situations.
• Students watch numerous videotaped child sexual abuse interviews as a means of bringing the course material to life.
• The program requires students to demonstrate their interviewing skills.
• ChildFirst^® models the multidisciplinary approach.
• The program encourages ongoing critiques of students' interviewing skills in order to improve their technique.
• The ChildFirst^® forensic interview course has been approved by the National Children’s Alliance to meet accreditation standards.