FCC marks Forensic Interviewer Week, July 7-11

July 7 to 11 is recognized as National Forensic Interviewer Week.  Family & Children’s Center’s Child Advocacy Center’s, Stepping Stones and Matty’s Place, have a team of forensic interviewers who are vital staff at a safe place for children to come and receive a structured interview about possible abuse. The well-trained and experienced staff members of our child advocacy center make children feel comfortable, while reducing the effects of trauma and stress during the investigative phase.

• A forensic interviewer is responsible for conducting unbiased, neutral, non-leading, culturally sensitive fact-finding interviews with children who have experienced alleged abuse or are witnesses to alleged abuse or violence.
• Forensic interviewing is a highly specialized skill that requires extensive training.  Forensic interviewers are trained professionals who provide an environment and process during which the child can share anything and everything they have experienced. Forensic interviews are conducted in a manner that is legally sound, of a neutral, fact-finding nature, and are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviews
• Interviews are conducted at our Child Advocacy Centers located in La Crosse, WI, and Winona, MN (Stepping Stones and Matty’s Place). 
• Our forensic interviewers receive specialized training on an ongoing basis and are subject to a structured peer review process to ensure that we continue to meet the high accreditation standards of the National Children’s Alliance.
• It’s a one-on-one interaction. Other members of the investigative team are able to watch the interview from another room and interact with the interviewer through a discreet earpiece in the interviewer’s ear.
• Our forensic interviewers are also family advocates. Family advocates provide support, resources, and guidance to families involved in child abuse cases. They act as a primary point of contact, helping families navigate the investigation and legal processes, connect with necessary services, and cope with the trauma of abuse.

We spoke with two members of our staff to learn about their experiences with Stepping Stones and Matty’s Place:

Emily Meyer
1) What does it mean to you to be a Forensic Interviewer?
Being a forensic interviewer is both an honor and a responsibility. As forensic interviewers, we are often one of the first people a child speaks to about a traumatic experience. It is a privilege to create a safe, supportive environment where children feel heard and to gather critical information that the multidisciplinary team can use to help ensure their safety and well-being.

2) What do you want others to know about Forensic Interviewers?
Forensic interviewing serves as a cornerstone within the larger framework of the MDT, which brings together professionals from various fields—including law enforcement, child protective services, medical, mental health, and legal disciplines—to collaboratively respond to cases of child abuse and neglect. Forensic interviewers are trained to ask sensitive, often difficult questions in a way that minimizes harm to the child or vulnerable adult being interviewed with a goal to gather accurate and truthful information, which supports informed decision making and coordinated care.

3) What is most rewarding to you about being a Forensic Interviewer?
There are many rewarding aspects to this work. One is being a part of a team whose focus is on keeping kids and families safe. Another is working with families and walking with them through a time that can be very challenging.

4) What is most challenging?
With a background in social work, I recognize that forensic interviewing requires a distinct communication style and a specialized skill set—one that I have been fortunate to develop and continue to refine. The role is both challenging and deeply meaningful, as it allows us to contribute directly to protecting children and supporting their path to healing.

Danielle Swedberg
1) What does it mean to you to be a Forensic Interviewer?
Being a trusted adult for children to safely tell some of the most terrible aspects of their life.

2) What do you want others to know about Forensic Interviewers?
Interviewing works best when part of a strong team approach.

3) What is most rewarding to you about being a Forensic Interviewer?
Seeing the relief on children’s faces when they see someone who believes them, or that the abuse will finally end.

4) What is most challenging?
Not having the ability to change the past bad that children endure.