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12/09 To report suspected child abuse: Superior Police Douglas County Sheriff’s _395-1371 Douglas County Department of Health and Human Serivces_ _395-1304 Or 911 The Douglas County Child First Program was established in 1993 and is comprised of Representatives from: Douglas County District Attorney’s Office Superior Police Department Douglas County Sheriff’s Department Douglas County Department of Health and Human Services The Team Adheres to the doctrine that: The Safety of the Child Is First Priority Douglas County Child First Program A Multidisciplinary Team Approach in responding to and investigating reports of Child Sexual Abuse ---PAGE BREAK--- 12/09 Team Members • Have extensive training • Considered experts by national standards in the interview process • Provide an opportunity for the coordination of child sexual abuse cases, eliminating multiple child interviews Interview Protocol 1. Rapport ¾ Establishes: 9 Comfort 9 Communication 9 Competence ¾ Child drawing ¾ Truth/Lie component ¾ Reliability instructions ¾ Family drawing ¾ House drawing 2. Anatomy Identification ¾ Drawings ¾ Child’s terms for body parts 3. Touch Inquiry ¾ Child identifies places on his/her body that it is: 9 O.K. for others to touch 9 Not O.K. for others to touch 9 Where on the body he/she likes touches 9 From general to specific 4. Abuse Scenario ¾ Did anything happen? ¾ Fact Finding ¾ Verbal disclosure 5. Closure/Prevention Scenario ¾ Go over information ¾ Who might the child tell if it happened Again ¾ Thank the child for his/her hard work, not for what they told. Upon Receipt of a Report • A team is immediately assigned • Coordination of a forensic interview with the child victim ¾ When the child is between the ages of 3-12 years old, the interview is videotaped using a forensic interview protocol. • The team determines which trained member will conduct and monitor the interview The Interview • The interview is conducted in a room designed specifically for the purpose of videotaping • Monitoring team members are able to view the interview via close circuit • The interviewer is able to receive direction from monitoring team members via ear phone