Before The Interview
Home ] Up ] [ Before The Interview ] After the Interview ]

 

Do's:

  • Tell your child that he/she will be going to a place called Harbor House and he/she will be talking with somebody about, "all different kinds of stuff."
  • Tell your child that Harbor House is NOT a doctor's office. (He/she will not be getting any shots while here.  etc., etc.)  He/she will play in a playroom and may talk to somebody and/or maybe draw some pictures.
  • Tell your child that all they have to do is tell the truth.
  • If your child asks, "Will we talk about __."  No matter what he/she specifically asks, your response should be, "Yes, you can talk about anything you want."

 

Do NOT's:

  • Do not question your child about the allegations.  This is often very difficult for caregivers who want to know if/what (if anything) has happened to their child.  However, questioning a child does not help the investigation and it places emotional stress on the child.  Therefore, at this stage it is important to leave the questioning up to the professionals who are trained in speaking to your child about the allegations.  
  • Do not question or confront any alleged perpetrator(s) or relative(s)/friend(s) of the alleged perpetrator(s).
  • Do not tell your child what to (specifically) say or not to say.  (It is OK to say, "All you have to do is tell the truth.")