Child investigative interviewing and risk assessment in Dutch child abuse investigations

Abstract

This thesis aimed to elucidate current procedures of child abuse investigations in the Netherlands at Safe Home (National institute of child abuse and domestic violence) and to examine whether these procedures are science-based. Our research focus was on child forensic interviewing and child abuse risk assessment, considering the importance of both in child abuse investigations. We found that implementing an evidence-based interview protocol (NICHD-protocol) improved the quality of child forensic interviews at Safe Home, showing the benefits of using a structured science-based protocol over non-standardized practice.