FORENSIC
INTERVIEWING OF CHILDREN
An Introduction to
the Forensic Interviewing Protocol
December 10-11, 2015
Zehnder's Splash Village
1365 South Main Street
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
1-800-863-7999
The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, Child Abuse
Training Services, in cooperation with the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council, Department of Human
Services (DHS), and Governor's Task Force on Children's Justice (GTF), is
pleased to present a regional, cross-professional Specialized Child Abuse
Training seminar on the topic of Forensic
Interviewing of Children. This training will begin with registration at
8:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 10 and conclude by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 11, 2015.
This seminar is designed for prosecuting attorneys, assistant
prosecuting attorneys, CPS workers, police officers, and CAC interviewers who
are involved with child abuse investigations or prosecution. The training is designed to increase your
understanding of the primary features of forensic interviewing and provide
information to enhance your interviewing skills. The Forensic Interviewing training provided by the Child Abuse
Training Services (CATS) department within PAAM is the only DHS and GTF approved Forensic Interviewing training within the
state.
Michigan’s Forensic Interviewing Protocol was developed in conjunction with the DHS and the GTF. The goal of a forensic interview is to obtain a statement from a child in a developmentally sensitive, unbiased, and truth-seeking manner that will support accurate and fair decision-making in the criminal justice and child welfare systems. Topics to be covered include:
Preinterview
preparation.
Interviewer
guidelines.
Conducting
a phased interview.
Special
topics/children with special needs.
Guidelines
for questioning children.
Please find enclosed a copy of the registration form for the
seminar. There is no tuition charge
or charge for materials for this seminar.
Attendees are responsible for overnight accommodations, transportation,
meals, and other incidental costs. If
there are specific questions you would like to have addressed at the seminar,
please list them on the registration form, and the questions will be provided
to the speakers in advance.
Please register early since registration is limited to 30
people. When space at seminars is
available, we welcome participation from professionals in addition to DHS CPS workers, law enforcement, and prosecutors.
Confirmation
regarding seminar attendance will be sent out approximately 2 weeks prior to
the seminar date.
Hotel reservations should be made directly with Zehnder’s at (800) 863-7999. A block of rooms has been reserved for attendees
of this seminar; you must mention that you are with the Prosecuting Attorneys Association to receive the rate of $75.00 per night single occupancy. Rooms will be only be held in the block until November 20, 2015. Attendees (or their agencies) are responsible for payment for overnight rooms.
If you would like a copy of the registration form to fill out & fax in, please contact Jennifer Doerr at doerrj@michigan.gov.