Forensic Interviewer

Position Overview

Job Title: Forensic Interviewer

Required Hours:  Full-time, 32-40 hours per week, Non-exempt

Purpose: Responsible for conducting and coordinating child abuse and neglect forensic interviews with children and adolescents, using research-based, best practice interview techniques. 

Reports to: Executive Director

Position Summary

The CAC Forensic Interviewer will be responsible for conducting legally sound and developmentally appropriate interviews of alleged victims of child abuse within the multidisciplinary team structure.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in social work, psychology or counseling and at least three years of experience in working therapeutically with children (which can include internships) is preferred. 
  
• Experience in the area of child abuse and neglect is preferred. 
  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required. 
  
• The ability to work within a multidisciplinary team structure and interact with many personality types is imperative. 
  
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
  
• Successful clearance of child abuse and criminal background checks.
  
• A minimum of a masters’ degree in social work, psychology, criminal justice or related field is required. 
  
• Demonstrated professional experience with children and a demonstrated knowledge of child abuse and neglect issues and child development. 
  
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of children from different cultural backgrounds and with differing levels of development. 
  
• Successful, documented completion of a 40 hour forensic interview training by a nationally recognized organization, or able to successfully complete training.
  
• Cultural awareness of the needs of diverse populations
  
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
  
• Strong problem solving and solution-oriented skills
  
• Knowledge of the impact of trauma on childhood development
  
• Oral and written Spanish Fluency preferred (not required)

Responsibilities

• Facilitate multidisciplinary pre- and post-interview case debriefing.
  
• Conduct pre- and post-interview meetings with caregivers.
  
• Conduct forensic interviews of child victims in a manner consistent with the Michigan Protocol on Forensic Interviewing and consistent with the policies and philosophy of the Children’s Assessment Center of Berrien County.
  
• Promote stable and cooperative working relationships between all multidisciplinary team members and community agencies.
  
• Conduct follow-up interviews and /or evaluation when appropriate.
  
• Prepare timely and professional interview reports and distribute to MDT members involved in the case.
  
• Complete all appropriate statistical and case-tracking paperwork and maintain CAC database.
  
• Respond to subpoenas and provide testimony in legal proceedings when requested on relevant cases.
  
• Participate in regular case reviews with multidisciplinary team members.
  
• Maintain an expert awareness of current trends, research, and developments in the fields of forensic interviewing and child sexual abuse.
  
• Attend regular scheduled staff meetings.
  
• Provide reports to the CAC Case Review meeting and the Berrien County Council for Children Board of Directors, as requested.

Knowledge and Experience

• Minimum of one-year post-degree experience conducting child interviews preferred;
  
• Work experience in child abuse investigations;
  
• Training, knowledge, and experience in the following areas:
  
  • Current best practices for child interviews
    
  • Basic child development
    
  • Sexual and physical abuse, neglect, trauma, offender pathology, and other pertinent topics
    
  • Cultural issues related to child abuse/neglect 
    
• Experience working with diverse populations of clients

Download Job Description

To Apply

Please e-mail your resume to info@swmichigncac.org.