A structured aide memoir supporting police officers and practitioners in planning and preparing for video recorded interviews with child witnesses, in accordance with Achieving Best Evidence 2022.
PIPPA — the Pre-Interview Planning and Preparation Assessment — is a structured aide memoir designed to support police officers and practitioners in planning and preparing for video recorded interviews (VRIs) with child witnesses. It was developed by Laura Hynes, National Vulnerable Witness Adviser at the National Crime Agency.
PIPPA does not replace the guidance contained in Achieving Best Evidence 2022 (ABE), which must be understood in full. It is not a substitute for formal specialist training and should only be used by persons who have completed appropriate training in accordance with ABE 1.32.
Each case must be considered individually. Where a Registered Intermediary is involved, their assessment takes precedence and PIPPA should be used alongside — not instead of — their recommendations. The safeguarding and welfare of the child always takes primacy (ABE 2.26).
Prior Account, Child Information, Pre-Meeting, Communication Assessment, Tasks 1–4, Decision Making, Interview Plan, and Post-Interview evaluation.
Every section references the relevant ABE paragraphs as live hyperlinks, enabling practitioners to access statutory guidance instantly at the point of need.
The interactive form runs in any browser with no installation, no account, and no internet connection required. Data saves back to the HTML file on the officer’s own device only.
Officers who have completed specialist child witness interview training. If in doubt, contact your force interview adviser or the NCA National Vulnerable Witness Adviser before proceeding.
Download the PIPPA interactive form and primary statutory guidance. The PIPPA form is a self-contained HTML file — open in Chrome or Edge for the full save-to-file experience. Completed forms save to your own device only and are never transmitted anywhere.
A curated collection of key guidance documents, legislation, research articles, and practitioner resources relevant to child witness interviewing and PIPPA. Filter by category or search by keyword.