The Scottish Child Interview Model (SCIM) is the nationally agreed approach to interviewing children and young people in Scotland where there are concerns about abuse or harm. It is grounded in a child-centred, trauma-informed framework and is designed to ensure that children are interviewed in a way that is safe, supportive, and legally robust. SCIM emphasises careful planning, skilled interviewing, and minimising the number of times a child has to share their experiences, in line with the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC).

A key component of SCIM is the Joint Investigative Interview (JII). This is a formal interview conducted by specially trained professionals from Police Scotland and local authority social work when there is concern that a child may have been abused or is at risk of significant harm. The purpose of a JII is to gather accurate and reliable information from the child in a way that minimises distress and ensures their voice is heard, while also meeting evidential standards where necessary.

SCIM and JIIs are central to Scotland’s developing Bairns’ Hoose approach. Bairns’ Hoose is a national model which aims to provide a coordinated, child-friendly setting where children who have experienced trauma can access justice, care, and recovery services in one place. Within this model, Joint Investigative Interviews are carried out in a safe, appropriate environment, reducing the need for children to attend multiple appointments or repeat their experiences.

For Child Protection Coordinators in Dumfries and Galloway schools, it is important to understand that SCIM, JIIs and Bairns’ Hoose form part of a wider multi-agency safeguarding response. Education staff are not responsible for conducting interviews but play a crucial role in identifying concerns, recording observations, and sharing information promptly. Schools may be asked to contribute to planning, provide relevant contextual information, and support children before and after any interview process.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is committed to ensuring all staff understand their role within these national frameworks, supporting effective partnership working and safeguarding children and young people through consistent, trauma-informed practice.

 Information from Education to Inform JII Planning

When staff from Child MASH contact education colleagues for information to inform an Inter-Agency Referral Discussion, (IRD), usually we ask for information which may assist with assessing risk to a child, i.e.  

• any concerns  

• child’s presentation 

• attainment  

• behaviour 

• vulnerabilities 

When requesting information from schools where a JII is to take place, information in relation to the above is useful, but in addition to this, social work should also seek information to assist with the planning of the interview, such as: 

• Information about a child’s interests, likes or hobbies, as this information is necessary to inform the rapport building stage of a JII for interviewers, i.e. what are their talents/interests, what does he/she like to talk about? Has anything fun happened recently for him/her? 

• How is he/she described? 

• The child’s ability to communicate and their level of understanding, i.e. any speech/language issues, or complex needs 

• If there are any diagnosis or known/recognised vulnerabilities or barriers to learning which may impact upon the child’s ability to participate in the interview  

• Are they working at a level expected of their age? OR younger/older? 

• If a child is struggling, what are the warning signs/what will we see? i.e. fidgeting/acting distracted/walking around/closed off or quiet/speaking quickly etc. 

• Any strategies used by school to ensure a child’s understanding and participation in learning.  

• Known ways of coping with stress, i.e. do they have self-soothing behaviours? 

• Information regarding any ongoing assessment is important, i.e. CDAT/SALT 

• Named person’s opinion about a child’s ability to participate in the JII process 

• Any dates that should be avoided for interview, i.e.  school trips/plays/exciting events at school 

You may be asked about the above information by MASH staff prior to an IRD, or by MASH staff or joint interviewers prior to a JII taking place. 

Once the interview has taken place, you will be advised of this by one of the joint interviewers, who may ask you to complete a Child Feedback Form with the child, which is then submitted to Child MASH at childMASH@dumgal.gov.uk

Feedback Following a Joint Investigative Interview (JII)