ABELS | Achieving Best Evidence Language Screen

What Is ABELS?

ABELS is a simple and reliable needs assessment to assist police to identify vulnerable victims and witnesses, and understand if Special Measures are required including the use of Registered Intermediaries.

There are separate child and adult ABELS needs assessments to suit the differing needs of the victim or witness.

Our Services

ABELS supports investigators to understand how communication is important in forensic interviews. It helps investigators understand any areas of communication that may be problematic and think about how to ask questions safely. This reduces the risk of confused accounts, often exacerbated by poor questioning.

We strongly recommend that ABELS should be used before any questions are asked unless there is good reason not to do so e.g. the child spontaneously details what has happened or during a fast moving critical incident.

Allowing Investigators to Follow Achieving Best Evidence Guidance?

The Achieving Best Evidence Guidance states, “if a child seems unlikely to be able to recognise a problematic question or tell the questioner that they have not understood, assessment by an Intermediary should be considered” (pg. 27), however there is currently little or no structure to inform police officers of a child or vulnerable adult’s communication needs, resulting in inconsistent use of Registered Intermediaries.

ABELS gives investigators this structure, enabling justified and informed decisions about when to involve an Intermediary and how to proceed to ABE.

Who Created It?

Ruth Jackson and Alison McCullough developed ABELS in 2016 to assist Norfolk Constabulary to recognise when a Registered Intermediary was required to assist with forensic interviewing.

Ruth Jackson (MSc) is an experienced accredited Registered Intermediary, she originally trained as a Speech and Language Therapist and has worked in health and education settings with children, and adults with learning difficulties.Ruth has worked with the Ministry of Justice training team to develop and deliver training for new Registered Intermediaries. Ruth has also assisted with the recruitment and interviewing process for Registered Intermediaries.

Alison McCullough is a retired Child Protection Detective Sergeant with an MSc in Child Forensic Studies. Alison has worked as Designated Safeguarding Lead in a large primary school (750 pupils),as a Safeguarding Officer for British Gymnastics. For the last 2 years Alison is an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser(ISVA) working with and for children and young people.

Ruth and Alison are both experienced trainers and have delivered training covering a wide range of topics, including effective communication, safeguarding, ABE/VRI and forensic questioning.

Presentations

ABELS has been presented to:-

Judges sitting Norwich and Cambridge
National Police Chiefs Council
NSPCC
East of England Tier 5 interviewers conference
Register Intermediary National conference

Testimonials

“Every ABE interviewer should have this training.”

“Wish I had this training years ago.”

“Made me really think about decisions before meeting a child.”

“Made me think about how the child might feel (meeting a police officer).”

“Improved my knowledge and understanding 100%, can’t fault it.”

What Is ABELS?

Achieving Best Evidence Language Screen(ABELS)

Registered Intermediaries

Better Evidence

Improved Safeguarding

Allowing Investigators to Follow Achieving Best Evidence Guidance?

Who Created It?

Presentations

Testimonials

OFFICER FEEDBACK

Adult ABELS

Child ABELS