General Considerations -- The Search for Truth: Science and Pseudoscience in Child Custody Evaluations -- Roles and Ethical Issues in Custody Disputes -- Models and Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations -- Standards for Resolution of Custody Disputes -- General Legal and Professional Issues -- Communication Among Professionals -- The “Ultimate Issue” – Recommendations -- Social Science Research and Parenting Plans -- Developmental Needs of Children and Families -- Managing Parent/Child Contact in High-Conflict and Abusive Families -- Parenting Plans and~Interventions -- Ordering, Conducting, And Reviewing Evaluations -- Uses and Limitations of Psychological Tests -- Starting the Evaluation -- Collecting Information -- Writing the Report -- Reviewing Custody Evaluations -- Special Issues in Evaluating Children and Families -- Diversity in Family Structures -- Relocation -- Estrangement and Alienation -- Abduction and Parental Kidnapping -- Children with Disabilities -- Mental Illness in Parents -- Substance Abuse -- Domestic Violence -- Child Abuse and Neglect -- Child Sexual Abuse.

Whether assessing general family functioning or specific areas of conflict, professionals ordering, conducting, or reviewing child custody evaluations require sound knowledge of three interrelated fields: up-todate legal issues, psychological findings, and forensic procedures. A Comprehensive Guide to Child Custody Evaluations covers these three essential areas to walk readers through the evaluation process clearly and concisely. This unique interdisciplinary book emphasizes professional ethics, children’s psychological well-being, and clear communication among all parties as keys to resolving disputes with efficiency and thoroughness, and minimizing the chances of children and their families getting lost in red tape. Among the Guide’s features: • Legal standards for custody evaluations and recommendations. • Procedures for conducting custody evaluations, with the latest data on psychological testing, interviewing children, and home observations. • Guidelines for writing: evaluation reports, orders for evaluations, parenting plans. • Legal and ethical standards for critiquing evaluation reports. • Current legal and research-based information on special issues, including alternative family arrangements, medical problems, child sexual abuse, estrangement, and parental abduction. • Reference and resource sections provide additional support. The Guide’s interdisciplinary approach will be of invaluable aid to forensic mental health professionals in conducting evaluations and communicating results, family and probate judges in ordering and assessing custody evaluations, and family attorneys in deciding how to approach various aspects of the family situation, whether to request a custody evaluation, and how to proceed after the custody evaluation is done.