A comprehensive assessment service that evaluates each family member individually and together as a whole in the context of their extended family and greater community of involved professionals and agencies. It also provides the voice of the children in the full context of what is occurring in the family unit. It provides a clinical analysis followed by detailed recommendations regarding decision-making authority, parenting time during regular, holiday periods, and any other relevant clinical recommendations to improve the experience of children in their separated family.
It is important to note that in the context of a parenting assessment, all discussions and communication with parents and children and other documents provided are open to being disclosed in the report, which is available to both parents, legal counsel and court. A final report is submitted to the parents and to the court, therefore the process needs to be totally transparent, honest and open.
Generally, I aim to complete assessment cases within 90 days from the point of parent interviews to the point of holding the disclosure meeting, but this may take longer depending on delays in receiving collateral information or scheduling interviews. In order to facilitate the process, parents are asked to be flexible in scheduling their interview and observation times. During my involvement, parents are asked to inform me in advance if their child’s absence from school so that I can avoid needlessly attending the school and charging parents travel fees. There are some delays beyond my control associated with collateral professionals sending in reports or making themselves available for interviews.
Private custody and access evaluations are charged at a rate of $250 per hour (+ HST). A set travel fee is charged for interviews at parent’s homes or the child’s school. Additional fees charged by professional collaterals for disclosures. A parent can expect that an assessment typically takes a minimum of 40 hours, but this is dependent on each case and will inevitably go longer with more children and a bigger family network (i.e., blended families on both sides). Retainer fee of $10,000 required to start process. If parent interviews are longer, they communicate often or send a high volume of information to review, then more time is required. If a family has a lot of involved personal collaterals and professionals, then it will typically take more time to obtain, review and summarize this information. Time is also required to review legal documentation and other documentation (e.g., parent emails, texts, social media, etc.).
To initiate the assessment process, parents need to send in their respective contracts and retainers. Each parent will then receive a pre-interview intake questionnaire and domestic violence screening tool to complete prior to their scheduled individual parent interview. They will also be asked to provide a list of all professionals involved with themselves and their children so that parent consents may be prepared in advance of the individual parent interviews.
