Improving Interviews with Children in Abuse Cases: Current Perspectives from Police and Forensic Interviewers

Investigative interviewers play a crucial role in eliciting information from children; therefore, gathering the views and experiences of professionals helps deepen our understanding and guide areas for improvement. Twelve police officers and forensic interviewers, based in the United Kingdom and the United States, were semi-structure interviewed. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, leading to the identification of three main themes: challenges and limitations in interview process, strategies for enhancing interview quality and effective techniques for information gathering. Participants noted limited flexibility with respect to minors, technology-related gaps and the significance of third-party disruptions. They called for better training and interview environments with adaptations to fit to children’s variable abilities, sustained rapport and supportive cues. The findings strengthen our understanding of child investigative interviews by providing updated evidence from the professionals who work directly with them. Drawing on the study’s findings, hypotheses were formulated to assess the effectiveness of interview techniques, update guidelines and ultimately improve child protection through more efficient pursuit of justice.