RATIONALE

Cygnet Family Conflict Resolution Services approaches forensic evaluation of child custody as,

• a scientific work product resulting from ethical, comprehensive, systematic, and unbiased methods and procedures; and as,
• a reliable and valid assessment of individual and family factors affecting the best interests of the child(ren) including, but not limited to; parenting fitness, psychological and developmental needs of the child(ren); and, fit between the two

and which results in,

• a compilation of evaluation findings grounded in expert knowledge of family and child development, specialized expert knowledge in issues related to separation and divorce and its impact on families and children, and the proffering of expert opinion and recommendations grounded in the social and behavioral sciences literature.

PROTOCOL

The child custody evaluation protocol employed by Cygnet Family Conflict Resolution Services is guided by the Illinois Best Interest of Child Statute (750 ILCS 5/602) and is based upon widely accepted forensic child custody evaluation procedures. Areas for and methods of assessment are outlined below.

• Continuity and Quality of Attachments [Interviews with caregivers and child; direct observation; standardized assessment as indicated]
• Interactions and Inter-relationship quality among and between the child (ren) and caregivers, siblings, and other important relationship figures including, but not limited to, parenting, parent alienation, and risk assessment related to violence, child abuse, or parent substance misuse [Interviews with caregivers and child; direct observation; standardized assessment as indicated]
• Parent Physical and Mental Health [Interviews with caregivers; direct observation; standardized assessment as indicated]
• Collateral Interviews and Record Reviews to verify information and to support conclusions and recommendations

ASSESSMENTS

Child Behavior

·         Child Behavior Checklist for Children- social competence and behavior problems

Personality Inventory for Children

Child Development

·         Child Development Inventory- present development, symptoms, and adjustment

• Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI)  assesses parents' attitudes toward parenting and toward their children
• The PCRI yields quantified description of the parent-child relationship
  

Personality

• Basic Personality Inventory (adults; adolescents) –identify sources of maladjustment and personal strengths. It has demonstrated sizable correlations with other self-report measures intended to assess the same dimensions of psychopathology including Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory. Internal consistency reliabilities for the BPI are routinely found to be acceptable and BPI scale scores reliability are shown to be appreciable and stable.
• person's emotional style in dealing with his/her environment; a person's mode of cognitive processing; and  a person's way of interrelating with others.

Social History

·         Quickview Social History inventory

CUSTODY EVALUATOR

Linda Kingery, MSW, LCSW holds a Master’s degree in Social Work specializing in child welfare including graduate-level coursework in child and adolescent development, family systems theory, and child and adolescent psychology. Ms. Kingery has received training through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in forensic interviewing of children and adults including collateral contacts; assessment of safety and risk factors affecting children; the assessment of allegations of child sexual abuse and parent substance misuse; and assessment of child abuse and domestic violence. She has completed State of Illinois required training in divorce mediation. Ms. Kingery has over 20 years experience working with children and families in a variety of clinical settings with a focus on assessment of child/family functioning.