Research indicates that when evaluating children's cognitive capabilities and competence as eyewitnesses, the interviewer should be informed about the interplay of individual differences, the child's age, and interview strategies. Some children may be suggestible when certain interview and/or observational methods are used. Other children will resist virtually all suggestive tactics regardless of interview methods and circumstances. Family factors, such as closeness to parents, may also contribute to individual differences among children in their memory accuracy. This article discusses three techniques for forensic interviews with young children that are based on research and generally conform to the guidelines established by professional organizations. The "cognitive" interview relies on principles of cognitive psychology and also integrates social interactions and communication theory into its framework. It highlights the need to help the interviewee take control in the interview. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Protocol for interviews with young children includes an introductory phase (rapport-building), practice in free-recall, information about the ground rules for the interview, and primarily open-ended questions about the incident at issue. The third interview technique, the "Stepwise Interview," encourages interviewers to start with free-recall or open-ended questions and then proceed to more focused questions. 130 references