Child custody evaluations

Abstract

Divorce rates are increasing year after year worldwide. A significant number of divorces involve custody litigation, and thousands of children are caught in the middle of the often-protracted legal battles that occur between parents. A forensic evaluation in a child custody case is a comprehensive process requiring the abilities of a therapist who has knowledge of some ethical issues. For a complete child custody evaluation, it is crucial to interview the child and adults and obtain information from other family members and related people. In deciding the best interests of the child, evaluators should be aware of the developmental processes of the child and the parental issues, and they must do this in an objective and sensible environment and declare their expert opinion to the court at the end of the evaluation. The presence of special issues such as sexual abuse or parental alienation allegations may complicate the evaluation process and require specialized assessments. Some psychological instruments are also used to gain information. Evaluators are required to assess factors related to the best interests of the child. A report written objectively from a child-focused perspective contributes to judicial decision-making at its best. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.