Good Practice Guide

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE
6. INTERPRETER FACILITATED INTERVIEWS WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
When interviewing children and
young people from culturally
diverse backgrounds who lack
English language proficiency,
the engagement of an
appropriately skilled and
experienced interpreter is
necessary. An appropriate
method of working with
interpreters is outlined in the
"Interpreter" and "Assessment
and Casework" sections above.
Where interpreter facilitated interviews
are undertaken with children or young
people, staff need to apply standard
Departmental processes for interviewing
children and young people, as well as
take into account the extra dynamic of
having an interpreter present.
It is important for staff to be aware of the
impact of trauma on children and young
people from refugee or asylum seeker
backgrounds, especially those who may
have experienced social deprivation or
have limited language skills in their
language of origin. These factors may
have significant bearing on how past
and current experiences are articulated.
Consequently, staff need to contextualise
the content of the interview in
consideration of such particular
cultural factors.
6.1 Preparation
• Endeavour to gain an understanding
of the customs and beliefs particular
to the child or young person's
cultural background.
• Be respectful and sensitive to specific
cultural needs.
• Be alert to the possibility that the
child or young person may
experience a sense of internal
conflict between their feelings of
pride in their own culture, and also
wanting to fit into the dominant
Anglo-Australian environment.
• Ensure that adequate time is set aside
for the interview. Take into account
the additional time it will take to brief
the interpreter, establish rapport
between staff, interpreter and the
child or young person, and for the
interview to be conducted and
interpreted in a relaxed atmosphere.
6.2 Conducting interviews
To maximise the effectiveness of the
interview:
• staff and the interpreter need to
establish rapport with the child or
young person. This can be achieved
by allowing time for the interpreter
and staff to share something about
themselves, or engage the child or
young person in a short discussion
about an unrelated topic
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