Parenting plan evaluation standards and guidelines for psychologists: Setting the frame

Abstract

This article explores how various sources of authority interact to govern psychologists' parenting plan evaluations (child custody evaluations), and remedies that are available when an evaluation is poorly conducted. The law in some jurisdictions may establish specific elements to be included in such evaluations; the professional associations to which psychologists belong may set forth enforceable standards, aspirational guidelines, and white papers; and learned treatises may describe ideal practices. Psychologists may rely on these sources of authority to shape their evaluations, and, finally, may consult with colleagues for guidance.

Workforce Skills in Family Support: A Systematic Review

“…Other technical skills described include planning skills (Connell, 2010; Gladstone et al, 2014; Littell & Tajima, 2000); decision-making skills (Gladstone et al, 2012, 2014; Trotter, 2002); problem-solving (Gladstone et al, 2012, 2014; Trotter, 2002); offering flexible and nonprescriptive approach to delivery, in fact, flexibility and adaptability to service users’ needs (Littell & Tajima, 2000); engaging and working with other services (Cox, 2012; Hetherington & Baistow, 2001; Hunter et al, 2017; Wolfe, 2014); and time management and organizational skills (Gladstone et al, 2012, 2014; Hetherington & Baistow, 2001).…”

“…Regarding specific knowledge necessary to support families, studies were scarcer. We identified 11 studies about technical and professional expertise, namely cognitive-behavioral strategies (Al-Khatib & Norris, 2015; Knight, 2015) or modeling skills (Gladstone et al, 2014; Harrison et al, 1999; Sheppard & Clibbens, 2015), training in child observation techniques (Bridge, 1999), conducting plan evaluation (Connell, 2010), or using specific assessment tools (Bogo et al, 2014; McLendon et al, 2012; Rawlings & Blackmer, 2019) and motivational interviewing (Forrester et al, 2012; Stabler et al, 2020). Understanding family context was a topic presented in five studies (Brassart et al, 2017; Gladstone et al, 2014; Hetherington & Baistow, 2001; Platt, 2008; Turney & Tanner, 2001).…”

“…It seems that technical and professional expertise can be organized in diverse skills domains. Some of them relate more to cognitive and behavioral skills, implying changes in conduct and thought, like cognitive-behavioral strategies (e.g., Al-Khatib & Norris, 2015) or modeling skills (e.g., Sheppard & Clibbens, 2015), and others relate to skills required in assessing family processes and dynamics such as training in child observation techniques (Bridge, 1999), conducting plan evaluation (Connell, 2010) or using specific assessment tools (e.g., Rawlings & Blackmer, 2019), and motivational interviewing (e.g., Stabler et al, 2020).…”