Children's Experience and Perspective Interview (CEPI)
The Children’s Experience and Perspective Interview (CEPI) is a semi-structured interview designed to help clinicians understand how children experience their family and school lives.It is built on a simple premise: children are often the best source of information about what is working, what is difficult, and what needs attention in their world.CEPI provides a structured way to listen.
How CEPI works
CEPI uses a small set of carefully worded statements, presented visually, to invite children to reflect on their experiences.Children indicate where they sit on each statement and are then invited to talk about their response. The interview is not scored in isolation, nor is it intended to replace clinical judgment. It is a tool to support thoughtful, developmentally sensitive conversation.
How it is used
CEPI is intended for use by trained clinicians working with children and families.It can be used:
- as part of an assessment
- to support formulation
- to guide therapeutic conversation
- to help track change over timeThe interview can be administered flexibly and adapted to the child’s developmental level, pace, and needs.
Request the CEPI files
CEPI is available free of charge for clinical use and training.To keep distribution intentional, the CEPI materials are shared via email.Materials include:
- interview cards
- clinician interview guides
- summary and recording forms
About the author
CEPI was developed by Andrew Bartle, a psychologist working in child and family mental health.
The interview emerged from clinical practice, shaped by ongoing work with children and families, and refined over time through use.It is grounded in the view that the core task of working with children is learning how to listen to them, and helping them find the words to be heard.For questions, feedback, or requests regarding research use, please contact [email protected]
© Talking to Kids – Children’s Experience and Perspective Interview (CEPI)