FLPN webinar resources | mollydragiewicz

Best practices for interviewing children about sexual abuse (click here for link to video)

Hosted by the Family Law Pathways Network, Gold Coast

8 October 2025

Host: Sian Graham, Family Law Pathways Network, Gold Coast

Facilitator: Molly Dragiewicz, Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Griffith University

Webinar resources

Speaker

Contemporary best practices for interviewing children about sexual abuse concerns

Professor Martine Powell, Director of the Centre for Investigative Interviewing at Griffith University

Recommended resources:

Contact information for the Centre for Investigative Interviewing

Email: info@investigativecentre.com

Website: investigativecentre.com

How to be a Good Questioner of Children

https://youtu.be/RuVv7QtVGDo

Agnew, S. E. & Powell, M. B. (2004). The effect of intellectual disability on children’s recall of an event across different question types. Law and Human Behavior, 28, 273-294.
Brubacher, S., Earhart, B., Turoy-Smith, K., & Powell, M. (2019). Probing general routines and specific episodes for decision-making purposes in the family law context. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 50, 17-24.
Crossman, A., Powell, M. B., Principe, G., & Ceci, S. (2002). Child testimony in custody cases: A review. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 2, 1-31.
Powell, M. B. (2008). Designing effective training programs for investigative interviewers of children. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 20, 189-208. https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstreams/85c9ae86-a500-4113-b8af-5a3081eeb19f/download
Powell, M. B., Brewer, N., Evelo, A., & Brubacher, S. P. (2024). Eyewitness testimony. In I. Freckleton AO KC, Expert Evidence. (pp. 65.10 – 65.810). Thomson Reuters Online Service.
Powell, M. B. & Lancaster, S. (2003). Guidelines for interviewing children during child custody evaluations. Australian Psychologist, 38, 46-54.
Powell, M. B., & Snow, P. C. (2007). Guide to questioning children during the free-narrative phase of an investigative interview. Australian Psychologist, 42, 57-65.
Sharman, S. J., & Powell, M. B. (2012). A comparison of adult witnesses’ suggestibility across various types of leading questions. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26, 48-53.
Turoy-Smith, K., Brubacher, S. P., Earhart, B., & Powell, M. B. (2018). Eliciting children’s recall regarding home life and relationships. Journal of Child Custody, 15, 349-368.
Turoy-Smith, K., & Powell, M. (2017). Interviewing of children for family law matters: A review. Australian Psychologist, 52, 165-173.
Turoy-Smith, K.M., Powell, M.B., & Brubacher, S.P. (2018). Professionals’ views about child interviews for family law assessments. Family Court Review, 56, 607-622.

Speaker

Understanding Recantation

Thomas Lyon, Judge Edward J. and Ruey L. Guirado Chair in Law and Psychology at the University of Southern California Gould School of law and Director of the USC Child Interviewing Lab

Website: https://childinterviewinglab.usc.edu/

Recommended resources:

Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children (APSAC) training video on recantation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOshvmh913A
Lyon, T.D. (2021). Ten Step Investigative Interview (Version 3) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JTrEH6eK4pHwCqr7HU5-Bg1CYFUyWrER/view
Lyon, T.D., Wylie, B.E., & Szojka, Z.A. (2026). Understanding child sexual abuse disclosures, delays, and denials. In M.E. Lamb, I. Hershkowitz, & M.E. Pipe (Eds.), Child sexual abuse: Disclosure, delay, and denial (2d Ed., pp.15-46). Routledge. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=5106305
Malloy, L.C., Lyon, T.D., & Quas, J.A. (2007). Filial dependency and recantation of child sexual abuse allegations. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46, 162-170. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6559748_Filial_Dependency_and_Recantation_of_Child_Sexual_Abuse_Allegations
Malloy, L.C., Mugno, A.P., Rivard, J.R., Lyon, T.D., & Quas, J.A. (2016). Familial influences on recantation in substantiated child sexual abuse cases. Child Maltreatment, 21, 256-261. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2773711