What are the common fears experienced by a child witness?

Some of the common fears experienced by children and young people when they are to give evidence in court include:

• Seeing the defendant in court- the courts are able to make special provisions for a child witness so that they do not have to see the defendant.

• Speaking in front of a lot of people – the courts are able to make arrangements to allow the child to give evidence via a television link or other special provisions.

• Being punished for speaking out about what happened- reassure the child that a witness who tells the truth is not doing anything wrong and they will not be punished for doing so.
• Coping in court - it is ok for a child to ask for a break or ask for help at any time during the trial.
• Understanding the questions-reassure the child that he or she will not get into trouble if they do not understand the question or if they cannot remember the answer. It is ok to ask for something to be repeated. If a child does not understand the question, they must say so. The child will not get into trouble for this.
• Worrying what friends will think- other children do not need to know about the court case, but a child may find it helpful if the teacher knows so that they understand the child is going through a difficult time. A child may become withdrawn from his or her school work so having the teacher understand what is happening could ease the strain.
• Forgetting what he or she said before – there can be some delay from the date of the crime and the trial date, a child may feel scared or confused as to what they had previously said. If this happens, reassure the child, encourage him or her to tell the truth.

Download your free leaflet on CHILD WITNESSES