A new training programme designed to better yield information from suspect interviews in Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) investigations has been launched nationally to UK policing, following a major research collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
Developed by a research team led by the University’s Professor Laurence Alison, the programme draws on advanced interviewing techniques initially developed for counter-terrorism contexts. Working closely with the NCA’s CSA Threat Leadership team, the researchers applied the Observing Rapport Based Interviewing Techniques (ORBIT) approach to support CSA investigations—an area where engagement and information yield are critical.
Over 250 suspect interviews were analysed using the ORBIT coding manual, allowing researchers to identify both best practices and areas for improvement in current UK interview techniques. Findings from the study led to the creation of a national training initiative focused on evidence-based, rapport-building strategies.
“ORBIT is entirely consistent with the PEACE model of investigative interviewing and not an alternative,” said Professor Laurence Alison. “It fills a critical gap by explicitly training officers on how to build, sustain, and deepen rapport in suspect interviews—something the current curriculum identifies as important but doesn’t explain how to do.”
Training development and delivery
The resulting training programme consists of a three-part online course, Helios, piloted with more than 250 officers across multiple UK police forces. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing it as the most relevant and impactful training of their careers.
With its design led by Emily Alison and Frances Surmon-Böhr, Helios covers three stages:
- Fundamentals
- Complex
- Specialist
Each stage takes approximately four hours to complete, delivered in modular format to suit officers’ demanding schedules.
“This training ensures that all officers involved in CSA investigations speak the same language when it comes to interviewing,” said Emily Alison. “The online format is especially powerful for accessibility and scale.”
Dr Michael Humann, lecturer in digital education at the university’s Centre for Educational Development and Support, worked closely with the College of Policing (CoP) to ensure the course adhered to robust learning principles, making it suitable for learners at all levels.
National rollout and endorsement
Now live on the College of Policing’s learning platform, Helios will be available to all 43 Home Office police forces in England and Wales, as well as NCA, Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It supports the national PIP 2 Investigator programme and is accessible to officers and specialists working in CSA environments.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has endorsed the training for its contribution to filling a significant gap in the national curriculum on interview training. By offering structured guidance on rapport-building techniques, the programme complements and enhances current investigative practices.
The University of Liverpool, the NCA, and the CoP will continue to evaluate and refine the training to ensure it evolves alongside developments in investigative interviewing and policing practice.