Capturing the Voice of the Child

Identifying neglect through the voice of the child

Below are some sample questions you may wish to use when capturing the voice of a child. You do not need to ask all of the questions; they can be used merely as guidance to help inform your conversation.

You can also download this sample question template, by clicking below.

Q. In the past 6 months how often did your parents, or the adults you live with…

  • Text link image Emotional Support: Sample Questions
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    ·         Do things with you just for fun?
    ·         Take an interest in your activities or hobbies?
    ·         Comfort you if you were upset?
    ·         Help you to do your best?
    ·         Help you when you had problems?
    ·         Praise you?
    ·         Tell you they loved you?

    In response to the above, how does that make you feel?

  • Text link image Education: Sample Questions
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    ·         Show an interest in what you were doing at school?
    ·         Attend parents’ evenings at school?
    ·         Keep track of how you were doing at school – by doing things like reading reports?
    ·         Help you if you had problems at school?
    ·         Support you if you were upset about school?
    ·         Tell you when they thought you had done something well?
    ·         Help you with your homework?
    ·         Make sure you always went to school?
    ·         Help you when you had trouble understanding something?
    ·         Care if you got into trouble at school?

    In response to the above, how does that make you feel?

  • Text link image Physical Care: Sample Questions
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    ·      Make sure you bathed regularly?
    ·      Make sure you saw a doctor if you needed one?
    ·      Help you get enough to eat?
    ·      Keep the house clean?
    ·      Give you enough clothes to keep you warm?
    ·      Take care of you when you were sick?
    ·      Have something for you to eat when you were hungry?
    ·      Support you to look after your teeth and go to the dentist?

    In response to the above, how does that make you feel?

  • Text link image Supervision: Sample Questions
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    ·      Ask you where you were going when you went out?
    ·      Want to know what you were doing when you go out?
    ·      Like to know where you were after school?
    ·      Expect you to call or text to let them know if you were going to be home late?
    ·      Care if you got into trouble at school?
    ·      Take an interest in the kind of friends you had?
    ·      Care if you did bad things, like shoplifting?
    ·      Leave you to be responsible for younger siblings for extended periods?

    In response to the above, how does that make you feel?