Trauma-Informed Interviewing and Safeguarding

Course Outline:

Investigators working across all sectors are increasingly required to conduct interviews with individuals who may have experienced traumatic or distressing events. In these situations, interviews may involve accounts of sensitive incidents such as sexual misconduct, harassment, bullying, threats, abuse, or other behaviours that cause psychological or emotional harm.

Without a trauma informed approach, there is a risk that interviews may unintentionally cause further distress or result in incomplete or unreliable accounts. This course explores the key principles and practices of trauma informed interviewing in an interactive training environment, enabling delegates to gather clear, accurate and reliable accounts while maintaining psychological safety.

The training also considers how organisations can meet their safeguarding, disciplinary and regulatory responsibilities, even where individuals do not wish to involve the police or where parallel criminal investigations may be ongoing.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Recognise common trauma responses and how they may affect memory, communication and behaviour
• Apply the PEACE model in a trauma informed way
• Plan and conduct interviews that prioritise psychological safety, rapport building and participant wellbeing
• Understand safeguarding responsibilities within internal and workplace investigations
• Manage interviews appropriately where parallel or previous police investigations may exist
• Apply a trauma informed framework to support consistent and defensible investigative practice