Children as Witnesses

Helping Young People Give Their Evidence in Court, Helping Courts Hear the Evidence of Children

Child Witness Court Preparation

Pamela Hurley, Karen Scarth & Lynda Stevens (2002)
This is the first in a series of five manuals produced in 2002 by the Child Witness Project. Everything you need to know as a professional who prepares children and adolescents to testify in court. Includes best practice guidelines, overview of the referral and intake process, how to assess court-related fears and anxieties, instruction on the components of court preparation, assessing and advocating for the use of testimonials aids, and understanding the impact of trauma on children and adolescents and related implications for their experiences as witnesses. 52 p.

Please note that laws referenced in this manuals are from prior to the reforms prompted by Bill C-2 in 2006. For information on current Canadian laws, see the "Full and Candid Account" resource mentioned at the bottom of this page.

Download the Manual in pdf Format

Child Witness Court Preparation

Table of Contents

• Child Witness Project -- A Brief History

• Introduction

• Best Practice Guidelines

• The Referral Process

• Assessment of Court-related Anxieties and Fears

  • Fears of Court Questionnaire (FCQ-R)

  • Knowledge of Court Questionnaire (KCQ)

• Court Preparation Sessions

  • Education

  • Role Playing

  • Relaxation Training

  • Court Accompaniment and Support

  • Debriefing

• Child Witness Assessments, Advocacy, Testimonial Aids and Special Applications

  • Assessment and Advocacy

  • Testimonial Aids

• The Impact of Traumatic Events on Children and Adolescents

• Understanding the Traumatized Victim or Witness

• Conclusion

• Useful Sources

A Newer Resource

A Full and Candid Account: Using Special Accommodations and Testimonial Aids to Facilitate the Testimony of Children (2007) Seven concise resources to help prosecutors, victim-support workers, judges, police and others understand and meet the needs of children who testify in court. The goal of these efforts is to help the witness provide complete and accurate evidence, or "a full and candid account." Topics covered are: overview of issues related to child testimony, testifying outside the courtroom (e.g., via CCTV), witness screens, video-recorded evidence, designated support person, hearsay evidence and children, and children and teenagers who testify in domestic violence cases. Development and distribution of this resource was funded by the Policy Centre for Victim Issues, Department of Justice Canada.