This 3-day course is accredited by the CPD Certification Service and introduces delegates to:
- The law surrounding ABE including Special Measures
- The concept of PEACE within interviewing:
- Planning and Preparation
- Engage and Explain
- Account, Clarification & Challenge
- Closure
- Evaluation
- Rapport building and ground rules
- Instigating a Free Narrative
- The use of questioning and interviewing techniques to expand an interviewee’s account whilst ensuring admissibility
- How to close an interview
Who Should Attend?
This 3-day course is primarily aimed at Social Workers who are required to work with children and vulnerable adults in investigative situations and who may be involved in the ABE interview process.
It is also relevant to other staff/agencies who are required to work in this field (e.g. legal, health care and educational staff).
Course Overview
The interviewing of children and vulnerable people is underpinned by the Ministry of Justice’s guidance “Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings” (2022), or ABE. Interviews that elicit information in a manner that is compliant with ABE principles is crucial to ensure that interviews are deemed to be admissible by the criminal justice system. Interviewers tasked with interviewing vulnerable and intimidated witnesses must be aware of their interviewing responsibilities under ABE guidance. Failing to follow ABE guidance could potentially compromise any criminal investigation or prosecution.
This course looks at all the practical features of interviewing in accordance with ABE to ensure that interviews are conducted in a professional manner. Child competency is considered in light of authoritative case law and the importance of planning and preparation for an interview is emphasised. The types of appropriate questioning techniques to be adopted within a forensic interview are considered as are the types of questions to be avoided. The course will visit cognitive interviewing styles of interviewing and techniques and tips to improve the quantity and quality of a young person evidence within a forensic interview.
This course is designed to provide attendees with the necessary skills to perform the role of Support/Second Interviewer (2nd Jockey) and provides accreditation to attend the 5-day full lead interviewer training course provided by SCT.
The cost of this course is £499.00 and includes buffet lunch on each day of training. A 25% discount for multiple bookings will also be provided.
To book or make further enquires, please contact Phil Morris on 0770 430 8166 or email at, phil@specialistcommunicationtechniques.co.uk