Custody and Access Evaluations
This page presents an outline of the methods I use to conduct Custody and Access Evaluations.
Guidelines for Psychological Assessment have been developed by the College of Psychologists of B.C. In conducting specialized assessments such as these, psychologists are required to follow an assessment procedure known as a multi-trait / multi-method assessment. This involves using a variety of assessment techniques including interviewing individuals, observations of children and parents, psychological testing, the gathering of collateral information, and considering any other information which is deemed to be relevant to the assessment process.
Typically, given a situation involving two parents who have separated and have two children, the following general procedures will be followed: :
a. Each parent will be interviewed individually to obtain clinical histories and other information relevant to the situation.
b. The children (depending on their ages) will be interviewed on one or more occasions. Children will be seen alone, at least briefly, and, when appropriate, together with their sibling(s). Indirect questioning and other methods of gathering information will be used. This is done to avoid asking children direct questions about their preferences, which is usually not appropriate.
c. The children will be observed with each of their parents to evaluate the relationship between the children and parents. Usually, this can be accomplished in one session with each parent. Sometimes, more than one session is required. These sessions will either be in the parent's home or in my office; the location is decided on a case-by-case basis. The same procedures will be used with each parent.
d. Collateral information will be obtained from a variety of sources. These sources may include: family physicians, the children’s school or daycare, up to 5 personal references provided by each parent, other professionals (e.g., therapists or counsellors) who have been involved, and other relevant sources of information.
e. All the relevant legal information provided by the parents or their lawyers concerning the Custody and Access issues are reviewed.
f. Each parent completes a number of formal psychological tests to gather further information about their psychological functioning.
g. If sexual abuse allegations are involved, additional information may be gathered from the RCMP, Ministry for Children and Family Development, or other relevant sources. Likely, this will extend the assessment process and increase the cost.
h. Other relevant information will be reviewed or gathered and included in the assessment report.
Generally speaking, this process involves approximately thirty to forty hours of my clinical time. There will be additional costs for test materials. My current hourly rate for Custody and Access Evaluations is $160 per hour.
When sexual abuse allegations have been made, they also have to be evaluated as part of the assessment process. This will extend the time needed to conduct the assessment and may mean that an additional five to ten hours may be required. Sometimes, sexual abuse allegations need to be assessed by a second professional.
If payment is being made directly, I require a retainer of $4,000 prior to beginning the assessment. The balance of the assessment cost must be paid prior to the report being released. You will receive monthly invoice balances to help you monitor the cost. A further retainer may be required depending on the process of the assessment.
Parental Capacity Assessments include most of the elements of the assessments described above. However, they are usually limited to one party. The Ministry for Children and Family Development or the Court may request an assessment of a parent if they are unsure of that parent's capacity to raise their child safely and effectively.
I hope this helps to clarify the process involved in Custody and Access Evaluations. If you require further information, please contact me directly.
Please note that due to the length and complexity of these assessments, they can take one to two months to complete. There may be a waiting period before I can start your assessment. For an idea of the current waiting period, please contact my office by telephone (250 758 2331 or Toll-free 888 758 2331) or by email.
