Child Abuse & Neglect

InterviewingGreg Mason MSW

Shanghai Community International School- Pudong

Presentation to the Shanghai Counselors Group3-16-10

What Will We LearnThe basics of abuse and neglect

How to make a child comfortable

How to ask without asking

What works and what doesn’t

What is going on with that child?

Something physical or mental change?

New student and we don’t know enough?

Assignments full of content that worries us?

Parents asking for help, fearful, or conflicting stories?

Typical signs (culture alert!)

Warning signs of emotional abuse in children

• Excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong.

• Shows extremes in behavior (extremely compliant or extremely demanding; extremely passive or extremely aggressive).

• Doesn’t seem to be attached to the parent or caregiver.

• Acts either inappropriately adult (taking care of other children) or inappropriately infantile (rocking, thumb-sucking, tantruming).

Warning signs of physical abuse in children

• Frequent injuries or unexplained bruises, welts, or cuts.

• Is always watchful and “on alert,” as if waiting for something bad to happen.

• Injuries appear to have a pattern such as marks from a hand or belt.

• Shies away from touch, flinches at sudden movements, or seems afraid to go home.

• Wears inappropriate clothing to cover up injuries, such as long-sleeved shirts on hot days.

Signs ContinuedWarning signs of neglect in children

• Clothes are ill-fitting, filthy, or inappropriate for the weather.

• Hygiene is consistently bad (unbathed, matted and unwashed hair, noticeable body odor).

• Untreated illnesses and physical injuries.

• Is frequently unsupervised or left alone or allowed to play in unsafe situations and environments.

• Is frequently late or missing from school.

Warning signs of sexual abuse in children

• Trouble walking or sitting.

• Displays knowledge or interest in sexual acts inappropriate to his or her age, or even seductive behavior.

• Makes strong efforts to avoid a specific person, without an obvious reason.

• Doesn’t want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities.

• An STD or pregnancy, especially under the age of 14.

• Runs away from home.

What the experts say

Research shows that young children are the most open to interview influence, but adults and teens are not different in their abilities to recall information..we all forget the details.

Taping/recording an interview gives more feedback and fact recall then verbatim note taking. If verbal consent is given by the child, go for it. Let the parent know as soon as possible.

Basic Interview TechniqueUse what you have, but don’t get ambitious. You are not trying to prove anything. We are Oprah, not Dr. Phil. If you heard something, fact check. Don’t add details or push the interviewee. Say “I was told...why would they think that” Not “I was told...is that true?” or “I hear this goes on..when did it start?” Let the unknowns come from the interviewee.

Front Door or Back Door?

Do you get to the point or use multiple questions to get the facts? Personal preference and the evidence will dictate the method. If you can see it, you can ask about it. If it is hidden, and you know it, you can ask about it. If you don’t know, or it can’t be seen, you might use indirect methods. Our job and rapport can be an asset. “I have to ask” “I might be able to help out” “This is a safe place”. We want to know facts, but we might not need a direct answer to help.

Make Your Job Easier

Become a trusted person. Build relationships with your students by being around and letting them know you care

Build a relationship with parents by communicating what you can help with (be pro-active). Give them the resources to help themselves before things become problematic

When interviewing, do not forget to build rapport and warm up your interviewee before getting down to serious matters

Culture Counts

Don’t be surprised if your interviewee stays silent. When you are probing for information and you have a culture that isn’t into sharing things outside the family, don’t exert yourself with western “you want to talk to me” counseling techniques. You are better served acknowledging individual family culture, then using some “How would you help a child that had this going on?” “What would you want someone to do for you and your family?”

Investigation do/don’t

Initial meeting- introduce yourself if you don’t know them already. (Young child) tell them that your job is to help children and parents be good to each other and to make sure people are safe and happy at home. Ask about their clothes or what they like to do for fun, take a minute to get them talking about themselves.

Have a list of questions you know you need to ask in front of you. If you have to record, then introduce your recorder

Do/Don’tDon’t get ahead of yourself. Let the conversation happen naturally. Order your questions to build upon one another, make sure that you don’t scare your interviewee away

Make sure the child is capable of having a useful conversation. Be aware of any disability that might make talking and fact checking difficult, adapt. Ask questions about the day, timing, things that happened yesterday to see if the child has good recollection skills

Do/Don’t

What is good, why is not. Children can not always answer why, and they might make up reasons if they think you want one. Asking “what” is easier to answer for a child. “What happens when you get in trouble?” “Why were you in trouble?”As a counselor we might want to know why, but when interviewing for neglect/abuse, why doesn’t matter.

Do/Don’t

If it’s abuse you seek, find out how. If it’s neglect you seek, find out how little. “When you got that mark, who was there?” “What did that” “Tell me about your day after school, who lives with you, do you see them before bed?” What things do you eat for breakfast/dinner” Who watches you?

Before You Confront

Don’t take the child’s word alone. Do like an investigator and get collateral contacts. Teachers, after school activity folks, tutors, neighbors. If you can get a broad perspective of the family dynamics.

Test yourself with feedbackhttp://www.hownottotalk.com/abuse/index.html

This website has an interviewing game that plays like a choose your own adventure, allowing you to flow through possible questions and answers in a role play with feedback for choices...

How the role play looks