S.L. 602.1 Art. 16The interdisciplinary team.

(1) The interdisciplinary team may consist of:

(a) the Manager (Children’s House) and the forensic interviewer appointed;

(b) the member of the judiciary presiding over the on-going case, if any, and his deputy registrar;

(c) a representative of the Executive Police;

(d) the Director or the key social worker from the Directorate of Child Protection:

Provided that the Director or the key social worker may be assisted by the legal consultant to the Directorate;

(e) the psychologist working at the Children’s House who will assess the therapeutic needs of the minor and determine the support that the minor shall receive after the investigative interview;

(f) the children’s advocate or the representative appointed in terms of article 21 of the Act;

(g) the advocate of the parent or parents or legal guardian of the minor;

(h) the parent or parents or legal guardian of the minor unless their presence causes the minor debilitating fear or conditions the minor in such a way that his testimony is considered to be altered simply by their presence particularly when the parent or parents or legal guardian of the minor is considered as the alleged perpetrator of the significant harm on the minor which led to the investigative interview:

Provided that the parent or parents or legal guardian may enter the premises and be present in the professionals’ room from a different entrance or after the minor is already in the interviewing room and needs to leave before the minor leaves the interviewing room. In such case, the parent or parents or legal guardian may not stay in the outside area and vicinity of the Children’s House before or after the investigative interview:

Provided further that if the presence of the parent or parents or legal guardian causes debilitating fear in the minor or conditions the minor in such a way that the minor refuses to testify or his testimony is considered to be altered simply because of the alleged perpetrator’s presence, the parent or parents or legal guardian may be ordered to leave the premises of the Children’s House or not to attend at all on the day. This decision may be taken in the preliminary meeting and noted in the minutes or may be taken at any time on the day of the investigative interview:

Provided further that the minor shall have the right to know if the alleged perpetrator is in the premises and shall be told the truth at all times;

(i) any other person whose presence the Manager (Children’s House) will deem necessary.

(2) The members of the interdisciplinary team may either be physically present on the day or may connect and follow the meeting or the investigative interview online through a secure connection. It shall be the responsibility of each member that connects online to ensure that the connection is secure and that the place from which he is connecting respects the formality of the situation and protects the confidentiality of all the parties involved. The Manager (Children’s House) shall have the authority to stop any such connection should he become aware that such connection does not respect this provision:

Provided that any loss or interference of any such connection shall not interrupt or disturb the investigative interview in any way once this has started: Provided further that recording of such connection by the professional connecting online shall at all times be prohibited. Should the Manager (Children’s House) become aware of any professional recording with any medium the investigative interview or any part thereof, the Manager (Children’s House) shall have the authority to stop any such connection immediately and to ask for such recording to be immediately deleted.