GREAT COP SAYS FFF!
• Greeting
• Rapport
• Enlightenment as to your reason for being there
• Acknowledgement that this may be a difficult conversation
• Tell the child it is time to begin talking about “what you told your mom”
• Confront Confounding Statements
• Open to the needs of the child
• Praise the child for participation in the interview (not any answer)
• SAY, “yes, yes, yes” with your body language to encourage conversation
• Sum up what has happened and tell child what will happen next
• “FFF” “ Feel, Felt, Found” is a handy mnemonics:
- I understand how you feel. I have felt like that myself. I found that when I told
someone about it, I … (felt better, got help, etc)
- I think I understand how you feel. I’ve never felt exactly like that before, but I did feel
scared/confused/angry. I found that when I talked to somebody about it, I felt better, and
got the help I needed.
Baladerian, N.J., Heisler, C., & Hertica, M. (n.d.) Child abuse victims with disabilities: A curriculum for law enforcement first responders and child protective services frontline workers-participant manual.California: Child abuse and neglect disability outreach program of arc riverside. Retrieved fromhttp://www.disabilityandabuse.org/resources/Participant.pdf