PFL |
Psychology in Family Law |
We are a
group of chartered psychologists with extensive experience of working as
expert witnesses in family law. Some of the typical areas of our assessments
are detailed below. Please contact us to explore further any area that we may
be able to provide a service for. Attachment Assessments which specifically deal with attachment
issues between parents/carers and children, and between siblings. This work
is often particularly useful when Local Authorities are considering an
adoptive placement where siblings need to be separated. Such assessments can
inform the way sibling groups should be separated. They can also inform
decisions about future contact arrangements between family members. Adult personality assessments Full assessments which can incorporate psychometric
testing. Such assessments are often useful in both private and family law
proceedings and are a useful tool in informing the Courts about adult
functioning. Formal Cognitive testing Cognitive assessments of children and adults. This may
help ascertain whether a parent has a learning disability, of particular
importance when decisions need to be made about the competence of parents to
instruct solicitors. We work to the guidelines from The Official Solicitor’s
department. Assessment of childhood trauma Assessments of parents and children who have suffered
childhood trauma, within our experience of working with serious abuse. Not
only are they experienced in assessing the post traumatic state, but they are
also experienced in working with such adults and children. Learning disability in relation to parenting
capacity Assessments in the area of learning disability either in
addition to a cognitive assessment or separately if a cognitive assessment
has already been completed. The two pieces of work usually go together. The
focus of the work is about how the parent’s disability affects their ability
to parent and then advising how parents learn and what kinds of intervention
and support will work best. Domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse We are able to work with parents where domestic violence
and problem alcohol and drug use are major concerns.
Assessment and work with children with behavioural difficulties. Assessments of childhood disorders or syndromes such as Aspergers, autism, Dyslexia and dyspraxia
Assessments with parents and children who
have suffered abuse and neglect count for many of the assessments we
complete.
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