Comprehensive
and trusted
psychological
services for the
court
Family Court Services
At Compass, we provide high quality assessment reports for pre-proceedings and private and public Family Law proceedings. We also provide cognitive and capacity assessments for adults and adolescents. Our team of Applied Psychologists presents a mix of Clinical, Educational and Forensic Psychology and covers the lifespan.
We can offer one Psychologist for an assessment, and we also offer joint assessments with 2 Psychologists, which is now an established part of our services and which our referrers have told us they value.
The range of instructing questions that we can address include:
Attachment between children and parents
Risk of violence and sexual offending in adults and adolescents
Domestic violence
Substance misuse
Personality
Neuropsychological assessment, including IQ and memory across the lifespan:
Family and relationship dynamics
Mental health and trauma across the lifespan
Capacity for individuals to change and sustain change
Recommendations for psychological interventions
A full psychological formulation for each family member is provided.
Assessment Process
Assessments include an analysis of relevant background documents.
Adults are typically required to undertake a clinical interview and psychometric assessment. Children and adolescents usually take part in a clinical interview or play-based assessment (depending on their developmental age) and psychometric measures for children will typically be administered. Other aspects of assessment will typically include liaison with other professionals and sometimes observations of interactions between family members when appropriate.
Consultation Service
Compass also offers a consultation service, incorporating psychological and relational models to assist professionals in understanding and managing complex family presentations. Should you be interested in finding out more, then please get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compass provides psychological input for pre-proceedings, as well as private and public Family Law proceedings. Our work supports the Court and we can provide advice prior to instructions as to whether psychological expertise is required. Assessment reports can be used to assist understanding of family functioning, individual needs, and risk factors that may affect outcomes for children, adolescents and adults.
Compass can assist the Family Court with a broad range of instructing questions, including attachment between children and parents, family and relationship dynamics, domestic violence risk, substance misuse, and underpinning psychological issues, such as personality factors and belief systems. We also address issues relating to mental health, trauma, and capacity for change, providing the Court with a clear psychological formulation to support decision-making and management and treatment planning.
Yes. Compass works across the lifespan, providing services for children, adolescents and adults involved in Family Court proceedings. This allows us to consider the psychological needs of individual family members, as well as how those needs interact within the wider family system.
Compass has experience addressing a wide range of risk issues, including violence, sexual offending and emotional harm in both adults and adolescents, as well as risks associated with domestic abuse and substance misuse. Where appropriate, our work helps the Court understand the nature of risk, contributing negative and protective factors, and individuals’ capacity to change and sustain change over time. We can also assess adults’ capacity to protect children from harm as well as the impact of harm upon children’s psychological well-being.
In Family Court work, Compass provides clear, Court-ready reports that include a full psychological formulation for each relevant family member. Where appropriate, recommendations for psychological interventions are also offered, ensuring that reports are practical, proportionate, and aligned with the needs of the Court and the family involved. At Compass, we take the approach of leaving no stone unturned – if we think it is helpful for the Court and family to understand a set of issues, then we will make sure that we go the extra mile and offer this. Our reputation is based on this.
