Learning Objectives

Participants in this training will be able to:

  • Identify at least three differences between a clinical and forensic role.
  • Identify statutes and case law relevant to parenting plan evaluations.
  • Create a checklist of the critical components of parenting plan evaluations.
  • Evaluate the pros and cons of collecting various types of data for inclusion in the evaluative process. 
  • Identify at least four functional parenting skills and competencies to assess in parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Explain at least four considerations for interviewing children during parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Describe the impact of IPV on adults, children, parenting, and coparenting. 
  • Describe a screening and assessment process to evaluate IPV in a child custody evaluation. 
  • Identify at least four factors that could contribute to a child’s resistance or refusal to see a parent.
  • Describe a continuum of parent-child contact problems. 
  • Describe the most current research regarding the effects of divorce on children. 
  • Identify various dimensions of gatekeeping. 
  • Identify three considerations when crafting parenting plans for young children.
  • Describe how mental illness, including personality disorders, and substance misuse impact parenting. 
  • Describe the relevance of hypothesis testing.
  • Describe how to use hypothesis from psychological tests in parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Describe three biases/heuristics that can influence decision-making. 
  • Describe how to apply the concept of cultural humility to parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Analyze cases to identify diversity considerations that are relevant to parenting plan evaluations.
  • Identify factors to consider in developing appropriate parenting plans. 
  • Describe specific recommendations to ensure safe and peaceful transitions. 
  • Identify factors to consider in deciding which tests to employ in parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Describe how to interpret psychological tests accurately in the context of parenting plan evaluations. 
  • Identify risk and protective factors for child maltreatment. 
  • Identify multiple hypotheses that may apply to a case that involves allegations of sexual abuse. 
  • Describe how parenting plans may need to be modified for children with special needs. 
  • Identify at least five best practices for presenting information and opinions in reports and testimony. 
  • Analyze and synthesize data to form opinions and relay those opinions to a court in a logical and sound manner.