Summer 2025 ChildFirst™ Training in Michigan City

Participants in this ChildFirst™ training can expect to gain comprehensive skills and knowledge essential for conducting forensic interviews with child abuse victims. The training is designed to enhance the abilities of multidisciplinary teams, including law enforcement officers, social workers, prosecutors, forensic interviewers, and child protection caseworkers and DCS attorneys.

You will learn

• ChildFirst™ Forensic Interview Protocol: Participants will be trained in the ChildFirst™ Forensic Interview Protocol, which is a structured approach to interviewing child abuse victims.
• Child development: Understanding the developmental stages of children and how it impacts their communication and memory.
• Memory and suggestibility: Learning about how children’s memories work and how to avoid leading questions that could suggest answers to the child.
• Legal issues: Gaining knowledge about the legal aspects of child abuse cases, including testifying in and preparing children for court.
• Holistic approach: Exploring all forms of maltreatment and taking a comprehensive approach to interviewing and supporting child victims.

Participants experience and conduct

• Lectures and discussion: Engage in lectures and discussions to understand the theoretical aspects of forensic interviewing.
• Recorded interview reviews: Analyze recorded interviews to learn best practices and common pitfalls.
• Skill-building exercises: Participate in exercises designed to build interviewing skills and practice techniques.
• Mock interviews: Conduct mock interviews with actors playing the role of abused children, followed by critiques to improve interviewing techniques.
• An exam: Participants must pass the exam in order to receive a certificate of completion.