Assessing Child Abuse Through Interviews of Children and Parents of Children at Risk

SUMMARY. Interviewing children and parents has been the subject of much controversy in recent years, with particular concern about techniques used. In this paper, the author takes a fundamental look at the philosophies and psychological assumptions which underlay much current interviewing practice. He identifies this as being primarily based on a cognitive neutral stance from the interviewer. These assumptions are questioned, particularly in relation to working with people from different cultures where different assumptions prevail. The article ends with some recommendations for improving interviewing approaches.