AN expert in child interviewing techniques claims Government guidelines on questioning victims of abuse make it harder for youngsters to get justice.
Dr David La Rooy says Scottish Government advice puts children at risk of having evidence contested and their credibility questioned.
He says it means children are no longer made aware of rules at the start of an interview in terms of being allowed to say when they do not understand a question or do not know the answer.
Interviewers are also no longer instructed to use a structured approach.
He said: "There is an international consensus ... that interviewing victims of child abuse using a structured approach is the best way to find out what, if anything, happened."
A Scottish Government spokesman said it was willing to listen to suggestions, but added: "The guidance was produced by independent police and social work experts working in the field following extensive research. It is not new, it has been in place since December 2011 and is working well."
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