Conducting Trauma-Informed Title IX Interviews in K–12 Schools

Jan 8

Interviews are the heart of a Title IX investigation—particularly in K–12 settings, where students’ emotional and developmental needs must guide the investigator’s approach. This blog explores techniques and strategies for interviewing minors in a trauma-informed, legally compliant, and child-centered manner.

Why Trauma-Informed Practices Matter

Investigators must recognize how trauma and stress can impact memory, communication, and behavior. Trauma-informed interviewing helps:

Build trust and security.
Increase the accuracy of information received.
Reduce the risk of re-traumatizing the witness.
Create a safe, supportive environment for the student.
Ensure parents feel comfortable letting you speak to their child.

Core Trauma-Informed Interviewing Principles

Build Rapport

Start with age-appropriate conversation to help the student feel comfortable (for example, “What’s your favorite subject?” or “What do you like to do at recess?”).

Create a Safe Environment

Start with easy questions the witness will know the answer to.
Use a calm, nonjudgmental tone and ensure your facial expressions are also nonjudgmental.
Avoid interruptions—let the witness speak at their pace and tell the story in the manner that works for them.
Allow breaks.
Have fidget objects available so the witness has something to do with their hands.
Be patient and flexible.
Go into every interview with curiosity— your tone and approach will convey that you want to understand your witness’ experience and their perspective.

Use Neutral, Non-Suggestive Statements

Avoid implying you already have a belief as to what did or did not happen. Reframe statements:

Reframe “I’m sorry this happened to you” to “I can see this is hard to talk about” or “I can see this really impacted you. Can you tell me about that?”
Reframe “Why wouldn’t you immediately tell an adult?” to “Did you think about talking to an adult?” or “What were your thoughts about talking to someone about what occurred?”

Keep Explanations Age-Appropriate

Explain the process, roles, and expectations in simple terms that the student can understand. Talk with parents or advisors—separately, in some circumstances—if they have detailed questions about process and next steps.

Interviewing Minors: Techniques and Best Practices

Set Child-Centered Ground Rules

Clearly explain:

“Don’t guess.”
“Tell me if you don’t understand.”
“Correct me if I make a mistake.”
“Tell the truth.”

Give the student an opportunity to practice. For example, after you explain the ground rules, you can ask, “What would you say if I told you the sky was bright yellow?” After they correct you, thank them for pointing out you were incorrect and for providing accurate information.

Prioritize Open-Ended Prompts

Examples include:

“Tell me more about that.”
“What else happened?”
“How did you feel about that?”

Give the student the opportunity to share more information, but in a non-leading manner.

Use the Witness’ Own Words

Examples include:

“You said she was ‘mean.’ Tell me more about mean.”
“How did you feel when he touched your backside?”

Avoid complex phrasing, jargon, or assumptions.

Avoid Leading or Confusing Questions

Stay away from the following:

Yes/no questions—these severely restrict the information you are able to gather.
Multiple-choice questions—these tell the witness they must pick one of your answers instead of telling you what they actually felt or observed.
Compound questions—you do not know what part of the question the witness is answering. If you catch yourself asking a compound question, say, “That was not a very good question. Let me ask it a different way,” and then rephrase.
Introducing new vocabulary—you do not want to confuse your witness or have them agree with something you say just because you are an adult, when in fact they do not know what they are agreeing to.
Repetitive questioning—if you need more or better information, ask the question in a different way so the witness understands what you are asking.

Be Sensitive to Parental Presence

Parents often attend interviews, but information must come from the child. Investigators should watch for signs of coached or mirrored language. I often interview or talk to parents in depth before or after their child joins. This gives the parents a chance to share their perspective, experiences, and fears, and makes it more likely they will let their child speak for themselves.

Conclusion

Trauma-informed practices and child-centered interview techniques are essential for gathering reliable information while prioritizing the well-being of students. By approaching interviews with patience, neutrality, and developmental awareness, investigators can conduct effective and compassionate Title IX interviews.