Requesting a Statement for Adults and Children
Request for statements – adults
It is recommended that any identified witness in a workplace matter should be advised in writing that they are identified to be a witness in a workplace investigation. It is imperative that the letter informs them of their rights, an employee assistance program phone number and the ability to bring a support person.
The support person cannot be a person who is, or is likely to be, involved in the investigation themselves.
The request can identify the time, date and location for the interview, as well as the proposed duration. If it is not known, this is something that can be discussed with the witness.
An investigator should be conscious of the intended location of the interview, as you want to limit the exposure of the witness to other parties (including the person subject to the allegations) who may be able to identify that the witness is providing evidence in a workplace investigation.
Request for statements – children
If there is a requirement to obtain evidence from a child as a witness, it is important that the parents (or guardian) are aware of the request and are present.
Child interviewing is a skill, and subject to the requirements for the interview and topic area, consideration should be given to engaging a professional child interviewer.
You will only get one chance to do this right.
If you require assistance with statement taking for an investigation or would like training please contact us for more information.
National Workplace Investigations
The Australian Institute for Security and Investigation Training