Which practice aligns with the recommended Do's when questioning a child?

Which practice aligns with the recommended Do's when questioning a child?

• A. Question the child aggressively to obtain details
• B. Believe what the child tells you
• C. Interrupt the child to provide your own information
• D. Confront the child with contradictions

Answer: (B)

Opening the conversation with a stance of believing the child’s account creates a safe, nonjudgmental space for them to share what happened. When you acknowledge and take the child’s report seriously, you signal that their voice matters, which encourages them to speak openly and provides more accurate information. It’s not about accepting every detail as fact, but about inviting the child to describe events in their own words and validating how they feel about what they experienced. In practice, listen carefully, use open-ended questions that let the child explain in their own terms, and avoid pressuring or showing doubt. The other approaches undermine trust and disclosure: aggressive questioning can feel threatening, interrupting disrupts the child’s narrative and can bias what they say, and confronting with contradictions can cause the child to shut down and withhold information. Staying supportive and patient helps you gather reliable information while keeping the child safe and heard.

Opening the conversation with a stance of believing the child’s account creates a safe, nonjudgmental space for them to share what happened. When you acknowledge and take the child’s report seriously, you signal that their voice matters, which encourages them to speak openly and provides more accurate information. It’s not about accepting every detail as fact, but about inviting the child to describe events in their own words and validating how they feel about what they experienced. In practice, listen carefully, use open-ended questions that let the child explain in their own terms, and avoid pressuring or showing doubt. The other approaches undermine trust and disclosure: aggressive questioning can feel threatening, interrupting disrupts the child’s narrative and can bias what they say, and confronting with contradictions can cause the child to shut down and withhold information. Staying supportive and patient helps you gather reliable information while keeping the child safe and heard.