top of page
Court

comprehensive psychological 

assessments with a clear and practical expert opinion

EXPERT WITNESS

FAMILY  COURT

We provide independent psychological assessments of adults and children in Family Proceedings and Private Law Disputes on a wide range of issues including:

ASSESSMENT OF 

CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS

  • Attachment relationships and assessment of attachment profile (including Story Stem Assessments).

  • Assessment of harm and impact of trauma, neglect and abuse (physical, sexual and emotional) on children’s development.

  • Together or Apart sibling relationship assessments.

  • Assessment of the effects on children of parental issues (domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health).

  • Childhood Mental Health (depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and others). 

  • Placement and therapeutic needs of children following a Care Order.

  • Contact issues.

  • Cognitive assessments.

  • Adoption and fostering care planning and advice.

  • Sexualised behaviour and sexual exploitation.

  • AIM 3 Risk assessments for adolescents with a history of sexually harmful behaviour.

  • The impact on children of parental separation / dispute.

  • Parental Alienation.

ASSESSMENT OF PARENTS

  • Parenting capacity and ability to understand and meet children’s developmental needs.

  • Impact of histories of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional) on parenting.

  • Impact of drugs/alcohol/domestic violence on parenting.

  • Adult attachment style and impact on parenting and relationships with others.

  • Protective capacity (ability to understand risk and take necessary protective action).

  • Risk assessments for physical and emotional abuse.

  • Capacity to change and ability to work with professionals.

  • Violence risk assessment.

  • Mental health issues and personality dysfunction.

  • Relationship dynamics, including issues with regard to co-dependency and coercive control.

FAMILY ASSESSMENTS

  • Attachment relationships between family members.

  • Family Functioning and Family Dynamics.

CRIMINAL COURT

We provide independent psychological assessments of children, adolescents and young adults in Criminal Proceedings, including: 

ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS

& YOUNG ADULTS

  • Cognitive functioning and learning disability.

  • Ability to effectively participate in a trial and recommendations around modifications to the court process that might be required to enable this.

  • Fitness to plead.

  • Vulnerability to compliance and interrogative suggestibility.

  • Mental health issues (including post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma, ADHD and autism spectrum disorders).

  • Impact of cognitive functioning and mental health upon consequential thinking and decision-making capacity.

  • Psychological factors that may diminish the culpability of a child or young person.

  • Vulnerability in a custodial setting.

  • Mitigating circumstances.

  • The effect on children and young people of experiences of loss and/or neglect and/or abuse.

  • Assessment of dangerousness and risk of violent offending.

Court House
bottom of page