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Psychological and psychiatric assessments in family proceedings
Helping you find the right expert
Family court cases are often complicated and emotional. Sometimes, the court needs help from psychological or psychiatric experts to better understand a family’s situation. Knowing which expert to choose and how to ask the right questions can make a big difference.
See moreWe want children, families, and professionals to all benefit from clear, useful reports – not reports full of jargon that restate what is already known.
Therefore, we’ve put together this page to help you:
- Understand when and how to instruct the right kind of expert.
- Know what to ask them.
- Understand what a good assessment should look like.
What is a psychological assessment
and why is it important?
A psychological assessment helps the court understand:
- Why someone behaves in a certain way, and whether they have any psychological or psychiatric conditions.
- How experiences (like trauma or neglect) may have affected them and/or the child in their care.
- Whether the parent can safely look after and nurture a child in future.
- The child’s development, attachment and resilience.
- What a child needs to feel safe and thrive.
- What support or changes might help.
It brings together:
- The person’s history and life story.
- Observations and interviews.
- Questionnaires or tests (known as psychometrics).
- Clinical knowledge and psychological theory.
What’s the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
Both psychologists and psychiatrists are trained to understand mental health—but they do it in different ways:
Psychiatrists
- Are medically trained doctors.
- Diagnose and treat mental illnesses, often using medication.
- Are essential if medication or medical treatment is a key issue.
Psychologists
- Are experts in human behaviour, emotions, development and relationships.
- Use interviews, tests, and observations to assess people.
- Help deliver and interpret psychometric tests, provide therapy, and create psychological profiles.
- Don’t prescribe medication.
Which should you choose?
It depends on the question you’re asking. If it’s about medical treatment or severe mental illness, choose a psychiatrist. If you want a deeper understanding of behaviour, parenting, or trauma, choose a psychologist. You can also ask an assessment provider to recommend the most suitable professional for the case.
In many cases, the best idea is to outline your issues and questions and ask a provider to recommend clinicians based on experience and qualifications. At MCTS, we can do this for you. For CVs of suitable experts, timelines, and a quotation, email expert.referrals@mcts.org.uk
