Dedicated children’s interview suite opens at Queen’s Medical Centre | Latest news

A dedicated video interview suite for children and young people who have experienced sexual assault or abuse has officially opened.

The rooms are part of the East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service (EMCYPSAS) suite at the Queen’s Medical Centre.

When this opened in 2018 - thanks to a £281,600 grant from Nottingham Hospitals Charity – it meant young victims no longer had to travel to a police station to be interviewed.

They attend the EMCYPSAS suite for a medical examination, treatment to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and referral for therapeutic support.

Dr Fiona Straw, Consultant Community Paediatrician and clinical lead for EMCYPSAS, said: “Children who disclose that they have been sexually abused often face multiple interviews with social workers, police and medical professionals in a variety of settings. Interviews are often the only source of evidence in sexual abuse cases, yet for many children and young people the interviews do not enable them to provide the best possible evidence.

“Repeat interviews can be confusing and cause children, particularly young children, to give inconsistent evidence, which, in many cases, will lead to the perpetrator not being charged. Children can be traumatised by having to give an account of their abuse to multiple professionals in multiple locations.”

The Video Recorded Interview (VRI) suite means recorded police interviews can take place in the hospital, in a safe space, away from the rest of the hospital. The suite includes a family room, examination room, and interview room, and is based on the Barnahus - children’s house - model used in Iceland, where police interviews, medical examinations and child/family therapy is all in one place.

Since its introduction in 1998, the Barnahus model has delivered compelling results; three times the number of people charged, twice as many convictions, and better therapeutic outcomes for children and their families.

The VRI suite has been funded thanks to a £395,500 grant from the charity, including £60,000 allocated by the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry.

It was opened by Barbara Cathcart, Chief Executive of Nottingham Hospitals Charity.

She said: “It is devastating to think of any child needing to use this facility, but we are so grateful to our donors for enabling us to grant over £395,000 to give children a safe space, away from busy hospital wards and police stations, in which to receive the care they need and have their voices heard. Thank you to all our fundraisers and donors for helping to make this possible.”

Representatives from EMCYPSAS, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham Hospitals Charity, Nottinghamshire Police, Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services, and Victim Support attended the opening.

Dr Fiona Straw added: “On behalf of the children, young people and their parents or carers I am really grateful to Nottingham Hospitals Charity and their donors for their very generous donation, which has enabled the development of a Nottingham ‘children’s house’, ensuring that the voices of children and young people are properly heard and offenders of sexual violence are successfully prosecuted.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dickson, of Notts Police’s public protection team, said: “The force is committed to continuously improving the service it provides to victims of child abuse and a crucial part of this is making sure children feel as comfortable as possible while they give their evidence. This new video interview suite will provide children with a safe and comforting space in which to speak to us in trust and confidence.

“The safeguarding of children is of paramount importance to Nottinghamshire Police and we hope our use of this new dedicated suite will also give more children and young people the confidence to come forward and report abuse. I can reassure them that they will always be listened to by the force and be supported by specially-trained officers when they report offences of this nature.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “The experience of giving evidence after a traumatic incident of sexual violence or abuse can be incredibly difficult for children and young people. This video interview suite allows them to talk about their experiences in a supportive environment where they can feel comfortable engaging with the criminal justice system.

“I was delighted to make a £60,000 donation toward this project, which will make a huge difference to the support offered to children and young people and will help improve criminal justice outcomes.”

For more information about Nottingham Hospitals Charity please visit www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk

For information about the East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service, please visit www.emcypsas.co.uk/