DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (DCI) - Belgium | Practical Guide The priority should be given to individual interviews but in cases where this is not possible or where it appears to be of interest or strategically beneficial in order for example to avoid the risk of retaliation, focus groups can be gathered. See – p.79 Before the interview take place, several aspects have to be taken care of: WHAT ARE THE PARTICULAR COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS TO KEEP IN MIND? The ability to feel comfortable with children and to engage with them in whatever style of communication and language suits the child and appropriate to his/her age and stage of development (e.g. by playing with him/her, by sitting on the ground, by using local terminology or slang, etc.). The ability to understand and to adapt the communication style and ways to approach certain topics to the cultural norms of children. The ability to appreciate that children may perceive their situation and express their feelings in a very different form from adults (e.g. they may express themselves in symbolic ways, they may invent explanations, emphasise certain issues and downplay others, etc.). The ability to understand and tolerate expressions of distress, hostility, mistrust or suspicion. WHO ARE THE CHILDREN TO BE INTERVIEWED? Identify a representative group of different children deprived of their liberty within the visited facility in terms of age, gender, particularly vulnerable children (those described as troublesome, violent, often subject to disciplinary measures, victims of bullying, those who have lodged formal complaints, etc.); not only those who have been proposed by the staff members or those who approach the monitoring team. The examination of files and registers may help to identify potential children to be interviewed. See – Section 4.3. / C. – p.71 Always make sure children voluntarily agree to be interviewed after being provided with all the necessary information in a comprehensive form to give their informed consent. The decision of a child who is not willing to participate must absolutely be respected but it could be interesting to understand their reasons. Precautions – The interview of a child presenting any of the following criteria shall be approached with great caution: a child who has clear cognitive challenges or is traumatised; or whose psychologist, childcare staff or social worker are sharing serious concerns about possible negative impacts that the participation to such interviews may have on him/her. 74