National Joint Investigative Interviewing Project

COSLA and Police Scotland co-chair a new National Oversight Group for joint investigative interviewing, which is aimed at supporting work to ensure the Scottish Child Interview Model is fully implemented across the country.

The Scottish Child Interview Model is a trauma-informed approach to joint investigative interviewing which keeps the child’s needs and rights at the centre, while capturing best evidence through improved planning and interviewing techniques. It is available to children living in every part of Scotland, except Shetland who will be offering this new approach from November this year.

All local policing divisions and local authorities are working collaboratively with their partners in health, third sector, SCRA and COPFS to create the system change necessary to fully implement this new trauma informed model of interviewing practice. Full implementation in this context means all joint investigative interviews being conducted using the new approach, and all quality standards within the model being met.

Around 9,000 children to date have benefitted from this improved approach to joint investigative interviewing, with feedback consistently reflecting an improved experience for the child.

Evaluation feedback from COPFS and SCRA in relation to the evidential quality of the interview's highlights evidence of improved standards and more consistent quality. This has contributed to a significant increase in the use of joint investigative interviews (as a form of pre-recorded evidence) in court proceedings. This is helping to protect children from the distressing experience of repeating the details of their abusive experience in a court setting.

The work of the National Joint Investigative Interviewing Project is informing Bairns’ Hoose developments at both a local and national level.