About ChildFirst®

The ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Protocol brings the field into the classroom, enhancing the education of front-line child abuse professionals. This course is designed for investigative teams of law enforcement officers, social workers, prosecutors, child protection attorneys and forensic interviewers.

Students receive training on the ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Protocol which includes child development, memory and suggestibility, testifying in court, legal issues and preparing children for court. This training incorporates lecture and discussion, review of electronically recorded interviews, skill-building exercises and an interview practicum.

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Course MATERIALS

21 states, 839 Counties and the countries of Japan and Colombia have or are in the process of developing a five-day course modeled after the ChildFirst® program. 200 professionals have been trained at a State or National course.

Testimonials

Just completed the ChildFirst Forensic Interview block with my SVU team at CSPD! Rita and her team of professionals provided outstanding instruction combined with realistic hands-on training. We look forward to using the protocol in some real world cases! Highly recommended!
On behalf of our center and our CYS attendees, I want to extend a huge thank you for coordinating such impactful training. It was exceptionally valuable for our forensic interview team to have a structured training on that topic. Every one of us walked out of that training feeling that it was a valuable use of our time from start to finish, and the trainer herself was exceptional.
The ChildFirst binder is such an exciting resource to use in the future for motions, arguments, and questions for witnesses. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this training. It was invaluable.
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FOR PROFESSIONALS

ChildFirst®: The Course

ChildFirst® is a unique approach to forensic interviewing for several reasons. The course was designed by and for the front-line child abuse professional. Courses teach students to apply the latest research to real-world situations. Students watch numerous videotaped child sexual abuse interviews as a means of bringing the course material to life.

The program requires students to demonstrate their interviewing skills. ChildFirst® models the multidisciplinary approach.The program encourages ongoing critiques of students’ interviewing skills in order to improve their technique. The ChildFirst® forensic interview course has been approved by the National Children’s Alliance to meet accreditation standards.

UPCOMING TRAINING
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EXPANDED TRAINING

ChildFirst® EX: Expanded Forensic Interview Process

We now know that one single comprehensive forensic interview does not meet the needs for all children. Based on the nationally-recognized ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Protocol, this training provides a defensible process for conducting interviews with children who may not succeed in a standard, single interview due to trauma, developmental, special needs or other complicating issues, including polyvictimization.

This training will discuss the expanded interview process as well as research supporting multiple, non-duplicative interviews with child victims and witnesses. ChildFirst® EX can be utilized with any forensic interview protocol model and includes not only lecture but practice for participants in conducting an expanded forensic interview.

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FOR PROFESSIONALS

ChildFirst®: National Course

Finding words can be difficult for a child victimized by abuse. Conflicting emotions of fear and love for the perpetrator may cause a child to be reluctant to reveal abuse. If a child tries to speak of abuse, he or she may lack the verbal skills to adequately communicate the event to an adult.

Finding words can be difficult for a police officer, social worker or prosecutor who must speak to a child about abuse. In order to communicate competently with a child, the interviewer must be able to speak in a manner consistent with the child’s linguistic and developmental abilities.

Finding words can be difficult for a child forced to tell a jury about abuse.

Finding words can be difficult for an investigator or prosecutor forced to defend an interview from an attack by defense counsel that the child was “led” into making a false accusation.

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ChildFirst® Instructors

Rita Farrell

Director, ChildFirst®

ChildFirst® States & Countries

2019 Trainings:

April 29 – May 3

September 30 – October 4

Year Certified:

2014

Contact:

Pam Karalunas
Chapter Coordinator
Alaska Children’s Alliance

P.O. Box 672069
Chugiak AK 99567

P: 907-688-0163
F: 907-688-1078
E: [email protected]

Cory Bryant

E: [email protected]

2019 Trainings:

July 29- August 2

October 21 – 25, 2019

2020 Trainings:

March 23-27

Contacts:

Rita Farrell
Lead Forensic Interview Specialist
Zero Abuse Project

10454 Collingswood Lane
Fishers IN 46037

P: 479-986-4055
C: 317-910-2427
E: [email protected]

Erin Kraner
Director of Clinical Services Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County

2113 Little Flock Drive
Rogers AR 72756

P: 479-621-0385
F: 479-621-0467
E: [email protected]

Download the ChildFirst® Arkansas application

2019 Trainings:

July 17-21, 2-19
November TBD

Year Certified:

2007

Contacts:

Michelle Manning
Assistant State’s Attorney
Division of Criminal Justice-Stamford
123 Hoyt Street
Stamford, CT 06904
P: (203) 965-5215
E: [email protected]

Krystal Rich
Director of the Connecticut Children’s Alliance
75 Charter Oak Ave, Suite 1-309,
Hartford, CT 06106
E: [email protected]

2019 Trainings:

April 22-26

August 26-30

October 21-25

Year Certified:

2003

Contact:

Amy F. Economopoulos
Executive Director
Anna Crawford Children’s Center

E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

April 1-5

September 30-October 4

Year Certified:

2003

Contact:

Cara A. Vock
Coordinator of Training & Education
CAC ‘s of Illinois

904B West 3rd Street
Springfield IL 62701

P: 217-528-2224
F: (217) 528-2224
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

July 22-26

October 21-25

Year Certified:

2002

Contact:

Janet Bailey
Child First Indiana First Light
904B West 3rd Street
Marion IN 46952

P: 765-668-8082
F: 765-668-8087
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

September 23-28, 2019

Year Certified:

2005

Contact:

Kelly Robbins

103 E. 9th
Scott City KS 67871

P: 620-872-3706
C: 620-874-2272
E: [email protected]

Learn more about Kansas Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers.

2019 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2004

Contact:

Robert Wagner
Program Coordinator/Instructor
MD Police and Correctional Training Commissions

6852 4th Street
Sykesville MD 21784

P: (410) 875-3463
E: [email protected]

Learn more about the program.

 

2019 Trainings:

April 22-26, 2019
April 29-May 3, 2019
September 23-27
December 2-6, 2019

Year Certified:

2015

Contact:

Jackie Halberg
Executive Director
First Witness Child Advocacy Center

4 W. 5th Street
Duluth MN 55806

P: 218-727-8353
E: [email protected]

Laura Gapske
MDT Coordinator/Forensic Interviewer
First Witness Child Advocacy Center

4 W. 5th Street
Duluth MN 55806

P: (218) 727-8353
E: [email protected]

Caitie Dahl
Administrative support
First Witness Child Advocacy Center

4 W. 5 th Street
Duluth MN 55806

P: (218) 727-8353
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

October 7-11

Year Certified:

2002

Contact:

Karla Steckler Tye

Post Office Box 5348
Jackson MS 39296

P: 601-940-6183
E: [email protected]

Hollie Jeffery
Coordinator
Children’s Advocacy Centers of MS

E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

April 29 – May 3

November 4-8

 

Year Certified:

2003

Contact:

Amy Robins
Forensic Interviewer
CAS of Greater St. Louis

989 Heritage Parkway
Wentzville MO 63385

P: 636.332.0545
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

May 20-24

Year Certified:

2002

Contact:

Ken Kolich
Program Coordinator/Instructor
The Audrey Hepburn Children’s House

30 Prospect Ave
Hackensack NJ 7601

P: 551-996-8265
F: 551-996-8194
E: [email protected]
E: [email protected]

Anthony D’Urso
Supervising Psychologist
The Audrey Hepburn Children’s House
The Northern Regional Diagnostic Center
Hackensack University Medical Center

30 Prospect Ave
Hackensack NJ 07601

P: 973-655-5296
C: 973-277-0408
E: [email protected]

Joe Del Russo
Passaic Co. Prosecutor’s Office

401 Grand Street, 6th Floor
Little Falls NJ 07505

P: 862-234-5050
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

February 18-22

April 29-May 3

Year Certified:

2012

Contact:

Heather Skeens
Assistant Director

1225 Ramsey Street
Fayetteville NC 28302

P: 910-677-2047
E: [email protected]

Mary McCoy

1225 Ramsey Street
Fayetteville NC 28302

P: 910-677-2045
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2006

Contact:

Nancy Radcliffe
OH Attorney General’s Office

150 E. Gay Street, 25th Floor
Columbus OH 43215

P: 614-387-4254
F: 866.811.4871
E: [email protected]

Learn more at the program’s website.

2019 Trainings:

April 1-5, 2019

October 14-18, 2019

Year Certified:

2006

Contact:

Amy Baum
The Children’s Hospital at OU MEDICAL CENTER

1200 Everett Drive, Box 39
Oklahoma City OK 73104

P: 405-271-8001 x: 44545
F: 405-271-1005
E: [email protected]

Learn more about the ChildFirst® Oklahoma trainings.

2019 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2012

Contacts:

Pearl S. Berman
PA Children and Youth Solicitors Association

100 W. Beau Street, Suite 502
Indiana PA 15705

P: 724-357-2105
E: [email protected]

2020 Trainings:

January 27- 31

April 20 – 24

July 13-17

October 26- 30

Year Certified:

2001

Contacts:

Margaret Fent Bodman
Senior Resource Attorney, ChildFirst Coordinator
Children’s Law Office, University of South Carolina – School of Law

1600 Hampton Street, Suite 502
Columbia SC 29208

P: 803-765-9601
E: [email protected]

Alexis Younginer
Children’s Law Office
University of South Carolina – School of Law

1600 Hampton Street, Suite 502
Columbia SC 29208

P: (803) 765-9530
E: [email protected]

2019 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2006

Contacts:

Janice Dinkins
Executive Director
Children’s Advocacy Centers of VA

P: 540-529-9931
E: [email protected]

Deanne Weatherly

P.O. Box 16834
Bristol VA 24209

P: 276-644-3371
E: [email protected]

 

2019 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2004

Contacts:

Phillip Morrison
West Virginia Prosecuting
Attorney’s Institute

90 MacCorkle Avenue SW, Suite 202
South Charleston WV 25303

P: 304-558-3348
E: [email protected]

Maureen Runyon
Women & Children’s Hospital CAC

800 Pennsylvania Avenue
Charleston WV 25302

P: 304-388-2391
F: 304-388-3484
E: [email protected]

Amy Leslie
Coordinator
West Virginia Prosecuting
Attorney’s Institute

90 MacCorkle Avenue SW, Suite 202
South Charleston WV 25303

P: 304-558-3348
E: [email protected]

2017 Trainings:

TBD

Year Certified:

2011

Contacts:

Oswaldo Posado
Oficina ICITAP
Bogota, Colombia

E: [email protected]

Carl Risheim
Program Manager

E: [email protected]

Raymond Rivera
Assistant Program Manager

E: [email protected]

 

2017 Trainings:

Jan. 26–30
Feb. 22-26
May 24-28
Sept. 14-18
Nov. 1-5

Year Certified:

2010

Contacts:

Fujiko Yamada
Director
Child Maltreatment Prevention Network

1-3-47 Isehara Isehara-shi
Kanagawa-ken Japan 259-1131

P: +81-463-90-2715
F: +81-463-90-2716
E: [email protected]

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Zero Abuse Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to the elimination of child sexual abuse. Our programs are designed to provide training and education to professionals and students, and to help transform institutions to effectively prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse.

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