The Role of the Forensic Psychologist in Child-Custody Evaluations

The Role of the Forensic Professional in Child-custody Evaluations

Introduction

There is little literature that discusses the role of the forensic professional in regards to conducting child custody evaluations. In order for a forensic professional to conduct these evaluations, they must possess the knowledge and skills. They must also be familiar with the guiding principles and standards that govern the profession.

In the past, psychologists with a Ph.d. would conduct the child custody assessment or child custody evaluation (Patel & Jones, 2008), but the demand for these evaluations have grown more the profession therefore are being conducted by varies professionals. These professionals have various educational levels and different disciplines. This brings about the issue of those less qualified conducting assessments that should be only be administered by a highly skilled and trained forensic professional.

Child custody evaluations

Due to the conflict and animosity between the people involved makes child custody evaluations the most difficult in the forensic professional field (Bow & Quinnell, 2001). Forensic professionals need to have knowledge of the legal system, child development, family systems, and issues that deal with allegations of sexual and physical abuse, substance abuse and domestic violence (Bow & Quinnell, 2001).

The evaluations in child custody disputes are used to give the courts an unbiased and very thorough assessment of how the family functions and what is in the child's best interest. What is in the “best interest of child”, determines custody decisions. In order to determine this, a forensic evaluator will conduct interviews, observations, and formal assessments that are individual and family structured (Bow & Quinnell, 2001).

Child custody evaluations are used to address a number of issues and addressing those issues can be beneficial to the forensic evaluator when providing feedback to the judges and attorneys. Such issues are a child's special needs, attachment to the parents, sibling relationships, parent involvement, and parent's mental and physical health,to name a few.

Legal Issues

Every state in the United States has its very own child custody laws and these laws can vary from state to state. However, every state make decisions in regards to child custody to “be in the best interest of the child”.

There is very limited research in reference to child custody evaluations even though they are frequently requested, cost highly and the very important, both socially and personally. The forensic evaluator needs to be familiar with the law and specifically the child custody laws.

Ethical Issues

According to Zimmerman, et.al, 2009, forensic professional

...