Child Protection Center Hosts Statewide Forensic Interviewer Training

December 4, 2024 | Sarasota

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) recently hosted statewide Forensic Interviewer training at the Campus of Healing for fifteen Child Protection Team Case Coordinators and law enforcement officers from across Florida.

Forensic interviews are child-friendly, non-leading, and legally sound conversations with alleged victims of child abuse. They are a critical step in determining whether child abuse has occurred. Having Child Protection Team Case Coordinators trained in forensic interviewing alleviates the need for children to be interviewed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or at local police stations after an abuse report is made to the FL Abuse Hotline. Streamlining this process through the utilization of Child Protection Teams specialized in the field of child abuse protects children by reducing the additional stress and trauma of making their disclosures. Case Coordinators establish a safe space of trust, ensure children are comfortable, and transition into topics of concern while gathering details of disclosure. Each interview is recorded and submitted as evidence.

Eight counties sent professionals to complete the specialized 40-hour training including Sarasota, Polk, Brevard, Collier, Escambia, Orlando, Pasco, and Palm Beach. Training across five days included instruction and scenario training sessions. Among other speakers, Assistant State Attorney Ethan Dunn presented on Legal and was thanked by the Department of Health with a Challenge Coin for his heroic work in protecting children.

“We are excited showcase our North Port Campus of Healing as this complex has been strategically designed to be a training hub,” explained Dougals Staley, Executive Director of the Child Protection Center. “The Forensic Interview Training is critical to the work of Child Protection Teams and law enforcement statewide. Hosting this training and utilizing our local law enforcement and State Attorney personnel as part of the training reinforces our local expertise in child abuse and desire to create better consistency statewide. We look forward to utilizing our facilities more to educate and train professionals in the field with a focus on the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse.”

The Child Protection Center’s (CPC) mission is the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse, as the organization envisions a community where children are safe from abuse and free to thrive. For over 44 years, CPC has been serving Sarasota and DeSoto Counties in the State of Florida and is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance. For more information on CPC or to inquire about ways to get involved, please visit them at  www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277.