What questions can you ask?
Opening up a conversation with a child about your concerns regarding potential sexual abuse can be fraught with worries about asking leading questions. Local safeguarding policies and procedures (including Working Together) and the Achieving Best Evidence Guidance (guidance for those conducting visually recorded interviews with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, those tasked with preparing and supporting such witnesses during the criminal justice process and those involved at the trial, both in supporting and questioning the witness in court) advises against asking leading or suggestive questions - but what are these and what questions can be asked? Sometimes concerns about misleading a child means professionals avoid exploring concerns about the abuse altogether (Roberts 2020). This section looks at what we know about children’s memory and suggestibility and what research tells us about how to reduce the possibility of leading the child.
Opening up a conversation with a child about your concerns regarding potential sexual abuse can be fraught with worries about asking leading questions. Local safeguarding policies and procedures (including Working Together) and the Achieving Best Evidence Guidance (guidance for those conducting visually recorded interviews with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, those tasked with preparing and supporting such witnesses during the criminal justice process and those involved at the trial, both in supporting and questioning the witness in court) advises against asking leading or suggestive questions - but what are these and what questions can be asked? Sometimes concerns about misleading a child means professionals avoid exploring concerns about the abuse altogether (Roberts 2020). This section looks at what we know about children’s memory and suggestibility and what research tells us about how to reduce the possibility of leading the child.
Young children and questions
Young children’s (aged three to five) ability to understand and use language is at an early stage of development. They are less able to respond to open questions, tend to provide briefer answers and are more likely to respond inaccurately to suggestive questions (‘that didn’t happen, did it?’), multiple-choice questions (‘was the car red or blue?’) and yes/no questions. They may also guess when asked developmentally inappropriate questions, e.g., ‘How many times did this happen?’ ‘Maybe twice?’
They are less able to work out what others know or need to know and find it difficult to identify how they have acquired their own knowledge. Both these abilities are linked to theory of mind: the understanding that others have beliefs, knowledge and intentions that are different from one’s own. Theory of mind develops between ages 3-5. Children who do not yet have a robust theory of mind will need help with understanding that others do not know what they know.
They are often more able to communicate if they show as well as tell, e.g.:
• Nodding and shaking their heads
• Pointing and gesturing
• Drawing or using drawings provided
• Indicating and demonstrating with their hands or mouths or whole bodies
Source: Marchant (2013)