Summary

The webinar titled “Forensic Interviewing of Child Victims and Witnesses of Violence” was presented by Ólöf Ásta Farestveit, Director of Barnahus Iceland. The webinar focused on forensic interviewing techniques used in Iceland, particularly in cases involving children who have experienced sexual or physical abuse. Ólöf Ásta Farestveit emphasized the importance of creating a child-friendly environment for interviews, where children can feel safe and relaxed. The forensic interviewing protocols used in Iceland, such as HT (Hudson and Tindall) and NCAC (National Children’s Advocacy Center) protocols, have been in use for over thirty years.

During the interview, Ólöf Ásta Farestveit explained how interviewers use open-ended questions to maximize the information obtained from the child, ensuring that the child’s memory is not contaminated. Interviewers aim to minimize the impact of the interview on the child, considering factors such as timing, tiredness, and medication. The goals are to obtain accurate, credible, and complete information while recording the interview for future use in legal proceedings.

The webinar also addressed the challenges of interviewing children with disabilities or developmental disorders, such as autism, and highlighted the importance of using appropriate techniques to facilitate communication and understanding.

In conclusion, Ólöf Ásta Farestveit provided insights into the forensic interviewing techniques used in Iceland to ensure the collection of reliable and accurate information from children who have experienced abuse. The focus on evidence-based protocols and child-friendly environments enhances the integrity of the interview process, facilitating the child’s disclosure while minimizing potential harm or suggestibility.

About the speakers 

Gordana Buljan Flander (PhD) is a psychologist, psychotherapist and Director of the Child and Youth Protection Center of Zagreb. She has been working with children for over 30 years and was amongst the first professionals in Croatia who recognized the importance of the issue of child abuse and neglect. In 1997 she founded the helpline for abused and neglected children; in 2002 she initiated the foundation of the Child Protection Center of Zagreb – the only health care institution specialized in working with traumatized children in Croatia.

Besides working directly with children and families, she is active as an academic and wrote 7 books and several scientific papers. She works as a lecturer on many universities and is Court Expert for psychology, conducting trainings in domestic, regional and international settings, sharing experiences with other professionals in Croatia and worldwide.

Ms Ólöf Ásta Farestveit
has been a therapist and a forensic interviewer at Barnahus since 2001, becoming its Head in 2007. She has conducted over 700 forensic interviews with children aged 3-18 in instances where sexual abuse was suspected. Additionally, she is the author of the book “Verndum þau” (“Lets protect them”, Reykjavík, 1st ed. 2006, 2nd ed. 2013) about how to respond to suspicions of neglect or violence against children and youth. In 2016, she received a diploma in Family Therapy from the University of Iceland.

Born in 1969 in Reykjavík, Iceland, she holds a BA in Criminology and another in Child Pedagogy from the Stockholm University, Sweden. In the following, she worked in a state treatment centre for youth and for a short time in an Icelandic prison and probation administration monitoring and helping young offenders.

The PROMISE Webinar Series is co-organised with Terre des Hommes, a partner of this project, as part of the ChildHub’s child protection webinar series.