Child Custody Evaluation Essay - 2370 Words

Child Custody Evaluation Each year about 1.2 million marriages end in divorce, and many divorcing couples have children (PatelJones, 2008). In the year 2006 more than 1.1 million children were living with a parent who was divorced or separated. Though most parents face the challenges associated with divorce or separation in a healthy and successful manner without high-conflict interactions. However, according to Patel and Jones about 10% of divorce cases involving children disagreement on custody and visitation arrangements leads to litigation(2008). In these cases, it is often left to the court to make decisions about custody, and several custody cases are referred to court-appointed mental health experts during the process. Patel†¦show more content†¦It is important that judges have accurate information about the family that allows them to make decisions that will be in the best interests of the child. Mental health evaluations used in child custody cases should be able t o give family courts a thorough and unbiased assessment about the functionality of a family and the child’s best interests. Lee, Borelli and West (2011) state that ‘‘best interests of the child’’ legal standard, custody evaluators rely on their assessment of the parent-child relationships. A counselor should be able to identify each parent’s capacity to meet the needs of the child. A negative aspect to the judges decision is that it can result in the relocation of child with a parent which in turn disturbing the childs familiar way of life(Kennedy, 2012). About 10% of divorcing families have disagreements about custody that are significant enough to lead to court involvement about custody or visitation because according to Lebow and Black (2012) these parents also typically exhibit skills deficits in several areas. At the individual level, these parents often have difficulty understanding another person’s perspective and tend to focu s on their own needs rather than on the needs of others. There is a possibility that these parents almost always have extreme difficulties with communication which ultimately leads to the court being involved. Effects: Mental healthShow MoreRelatedA Judgement For Solomon : The D Hauteville Case1194 Words   |  5 Pagespleaded with Gonzalve to let her return to America to give birth to her child. Eventually, Gonzalve gave in and let Ellen leave; however, after giving birth, Ellen refused to return to Switzerland, citing cruel treatment from Gonzalve as her reason for staying away. Later, Ellen realized it was an informal separation that she sought. However, soon the couple realized that they had another major problem: determining who got the custody of their son, Frederick. 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Moreover, domestic abuse not only affec ts the victims it also has a profound effect on the children. Battered women are faced with uncertainty as they struggle to survive. In the article Stark, E. (2009). Rethinking Custody Evaluation in Cases Involving Domestic Violence reviewed the court system and the effect domestic violence has on families. In addition, another article written by Stark, Stark, E. (2012). Looking Beyond Domestic Violence: Policing Coercive Control. Journal