The Roles Of A Custody Evaluator

By Sherry Gross


It is important that you understand what really entails custody evaluation in order to make the right decision. To begin with, a custody evaluator is a professional appointed by the court to resolve matters that touch on parenting. In most cases, evaluators are qualified psychologists who are well placed to solve family related issues about custody and well being of children.

The aim of the evaluator is to assess the family needs and send his/her recommendations to the judiciary. Thereafter, the government makes the final decision on matters that are pertinent to the well being of the children. These will include visitations as well as relevant issues that fall in the same range. The decisions made from the evaluation will therefore vary based on the very issues that are affecting the family.

Information is gathered using different methods before the evaluator can write down his or her recommendations to the judicial officers. In most cases, it is usually the last resort after spouses have failed to reach into agreements in previous settlements. However, if parents have agreed on their own on how to take care of children, no evaluation will be needed.

Always choose an experienced evaluator who is well versed with child custody laws. You will not only benefit from valuable advice, but also recommendations that will suit all parties. Do not compromise the quality of services you receive by only charges of the services. You need also to look at his qualifications as well as past records. If he offers great services, then do not hesitate to hire him.

It is important for you to attend all the sessions in order to make the whole process a success. In most cases, parents need to present themselves in more than two sessions as required by the evaluator. The children too will be interviewed so that their side of the story is heard. This is essential in balancing the decisions.

The evaluation process entails looking at copies of court documents to ascertain that everything dealt with is relevant to the case at hand. Furthermore, it is mandatory that the health of the children is catered for from the onset, and this is the reason why they may have to attend some therapies. This will enable young ones to be able to handle the difficulties that sometimes arise during the sessions. Also, this process is always documented for reference purposes and decision making.

Evaluation is not always confidential as other parties involved can access documents that relate to your case. The best thing you can do is to be prepared, talk to your children about the sessions, and avoid being nervous when facing the evaluator. This will enable you tell your story without fear and favor. Always talk to your attorney about the ongoing process and you may request him to be present when the sessions are underway.

In a nut shell, the process is meant to evaluate and recommend about the best psychological interests of the child. This is always done with a focus on parenting attributes which in this case must benefit the child. The non-discriminatory evaluation process is however only recommended when parents have failed to agree on matters affecting their children.




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