When separated parents don’t agree on parenting arrangements, they may rely on the court to decide on decision-making responsibilities or parenting time based on the best interests of the child. To assist in making the decision, the court may order an evaluation of one parent, both parents and/or the children. Evaluations are done by experts such as social workers, psychologists or psychiatrists and can be expensive.
The types of evaluations that the court may order can include any one or a combination of the following:
• Full evaluations to determine the “best interest of the child”.
• Child interviews (often called “voice of the child” interviews) to determine the wishes, needs and interests of the child.
• Focused evaluations to obtain specific information.
• Home studies to determine if the home and family environment can adequately meet the basic needs of the child.
• Parenting capacity assessments to verify the capacity of either parent to properly and effectively raise the child.
• Psychiatric evaluations in cases where there are concerns about disorders affecting the mind of the child or parent.
• Psychological assessments to determine intellectual levels and functioning, behaviours, and disorders of behaviour, emotions and thoughts of the child or parent.
