Writing statements
7.1 Introduction
Welcome to this training module on writing court statements. Often in your volunteering clients will ask you for support in writing, or re-writing, their statement which is to be submitted to court as part of their proceedings.
Learning outcomes
This module will explain how to interview clients to obtain the necessary information and turn this into a written court statement.
In this module you will learn about:
- What court statements are
- What you can and can’t do in supporting clients to write statements
- Getting information from the client for their statement
- How to write and format a court statement.
This module is one of a number of training modules to help Support Through Court volunteers when supporting clients. The modules all use the same case study to explore the different aspects of supporting clients effectively. We will be referring to this example as we work though this module, so it may be helpful to remind yourself of the facts now. You may want to open this case study in a separate window (use Ctrl + click on the link) so you can refer back to it when needed. Find out more about the fictitious Johnson/Smith family [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] and their situation
During the module you may come across terminology which is unfamiliar to you. Some words are hyperlinked to the Glossary, so by hovering over the word you will be able to see its definition.
Please note
This module deals with some sensitive issues including descriptions of domestic abuse. These training modules are not compulsory, but they are recommended. If you do not feel comfortable to start the module, or if you are affected by the material, or feel you are unable to undergo the training, then Support Through Court can help you. Please speak to your Service Manager when you are next in the office.
If you need immediate support over the phone you can call:
National Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 200 247
Give your opinion
How would you rate your understanding of writing statements right now, before you start this module? Submit your answer.