• Free to attend workshop for investigators and other professionals who are involved in interviewing children and vulnerable people.

• Workshop showcases Achieving Best Evidence Language Screens (ABELS) -innovative communication assessment tools designed for use prior to investigative interviews that allows investigators to conducts a needs assessment prior to the interview.

• Workshop will include a demonstration of ABELS and how it can support the work of investigators and other professionals who are involved in interviewing children and vulnerable people.

• Led by Ruth Jackson and Alison McCullough who devised ABELS and provide training and consultancy to enable organisations to introduce ABELS and use it as part of their work. They are both experienced professionals in contemporary issues and challenges around Achieving Best Evidence.

• Workshop will also provide a forum to discuss contemporary issues around interviewing children and vulnerable people with Ruth and Alison and share experiences and challenges other delegates.

• Held online via Teams

• Email Dale at info@the-investigator.co.uk to book your free place. NB: places are open to investigators, solicitors, social workers, safeguarding officers and other legal professionals. Registration will not be accepted using free web mail addresses, work email addresses only. CAN'T MAKE IT? We will be recording the session so that nobody needs to miss this valuable workshop, to register for access to the recording email booking@the-investigator.co.uk.

The Investigator is pleased to host a free to attend workshop that will showcase Achieving Best Evidence Language Screens (ABELS) that are communication assessment tools designed for use prior to investigative interviews that allows investigators to conducts a needs assessment prior to the interview.

ABELS consists of a series of activities which highlights communication strengths and weaknesses, covering vital areas of communication pertinent to investigative interviewing. This includes vocabulary knowledge, sequencing skills, narrative ability, time concepts and many others.

The person carrying out the assessment completes the scoring using a simple traffic light system (red, amber, green).
This enables questions to be planned to the right level for the individual which enables best evidence to be obtained. It also supports decision making relating to when additional support (such as an intermediary) is required.

The workshop will provide details of the training - both face to face and online training that is available to help organisations introduce ABELS into their work.

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AGENDA - BST

9.50am-10am: Welcome and introduction, Carol Jenkins, The Investigator

 

10am-10.20am: Introduction to Communicating Matters – ABELS ltd, its aims/objectives and the services it provides. Introduction to Ruth and Alison. Aims and objectives of the workshop.

 

10.20am-11.00am: 

Part 1

Overview of the challenges of communicating.

Presentation, explanation, and demonstration of child ABELS and how it can be used to support decision making and planning and preparation for ABE/VRI interviews.

 

11.00am to 11.10am: Break

 

11:10am to 11.30am:

Part 2

Presentation, explanation, and demonstration of young person/adult ABELS . Discussing criticism of victim interviews and the pressures of interviewers. Case study (if time allows)

 

11.30am-Noon: Questions and discussion around ABELS and a wider discussion around contemporary issues concerning ABE and the interviewing of vulnerable witnesses. Delegates are invited to share their experiences on meeting chat and come through live and speak to Alison and Ruth directly

 

Noon-12.10pm: The way forward. Further details of how organisations can contact Communicating Matters and arrange follow up conversations/training.

 

12.10pm: Workshop finishes

Who should attend?
The workshop is free to attend for all professionals who are involved in interviewing children and vulnerable people. This includes investigators, solicitors, social workers, safeguarding officers and other legal professionals.

About our speakers
Ruth Jackson and Alison McCullough developed ABELS in 2016 to assist Norfolk Constabulary to recognise when a Registered Intermediary was required to assist with forensic interviewing.

Ruth Jackson (MSc) is an experienced accredited Registered Intermediary, she originally trained as a Speech and Language Therapist and has worked in health and education settings with children, and adults with learning difficulties.

Ruth has worked with the Ministry of Justice training team to develop and deliver training for new Registered Intermediaries. Ruth has also assisted with the recruitment and interviewing process for Registered Intermediaries.

Alison McCullough is a retired Child Protection Detective Sergeant with an MSc in Child Forensic Studies. Alison has worked as Designated Safeguarding Lead in a large primary school (750 pupils),as a Safeguarding Officer for British Gymnastics.
 

For the past two years Alison has been working an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser(ISVA) working with and for children and young people.

Ruth and Alison are both experienced trainers and have delivered training covering a wide range of topics, including effective communication, safeguarding, ABE/VRI and forensic questioning.

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Each pack consists of: picture manual, sequencing cards, scoring sheet and procedure manual.