Investigative interviews with children A Qualitative Study of Moral Stress Among Police Employees Working in the Special Victim Unit in Norway

Investigating child abuse represents a potential health risk for police employees. However, less is known about the distinct nature of these challenges for specific groups within the special victim unit. We applied qualitative research design, and conducted 15 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with police employees specialized in child investigative interviews, all employed at a large police district in Norway. We used a reflexive, thematic analysis as analytical approach. The analysis identified seven themes: (1) Fear of failing in the mismatch between demand and resources, (2) Questioning the system: Concerns with doing more harm than good; (3) Lack of recognition and understanding by the management, (4) Restrained by the special competence, (5) Working on the edge: the constant balance between closeness and distance, (6) Family: a resource rather than a vulnerability, and (7) Teamwork facilitates professional development. The results point to moral stress, insufficient support, understanding, and acknowledgment from the management as significant stressors. Many experiences a lack of variation in work tasks, adding to the burden. Teamwork can mitigate this, facilitating professional development and available support for this group.