State-owned Forensic Interview Unit to be set up soon 

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is working to have a state-owned Forensic Interview Unit before the end of this year, or early next year, to help reduce the backlog of child abuse cases.

A Forensic Interview Unit is a place where interviews are conducted with children who may have been abused or neglected. These interviews are part of a legal investigation.

So far, the ministry has already sent officers who will work in the unit to train in India, subject minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud revealed on Saturday.

She announced the establishment of the unit at a press conference at the National Communications Network (NCN), Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

“Even though we are heavily subsidising Blossom Inc. and Child Link, there are back logs,” Minister Persaud said, adding, “You should not have a child waiting. You want that to be done in a timely way.”

The intention would also be to ensure that when the cases are done, the child benefits from trauma-focused counselling. “So we will train persons to man that unit to effectively do the interviews,” she said.

Based on how a forensic interview unit works, a forensic interviewer asks the child questions in a neutral, non-leading way, and the interview is recorded to preserve the child’s statement for legal purposes, while other team members observe the interview through a one-way mirror.

Such interviews are conducted to help ensure the child’s safety, to help the child heal, and to gather information that can be used in court.

Forensic interviewers are highly trained and experienced in child forensic interviewing techniques, and they have a solid understanding of child development.