Cognitive & litigation capacity assessments

Cognitive assessments

Cognitive assessments focus on the capacity of a parent to use and retain information. When carried out early in the family's involvement with professionals, the findings of a cognitive assessment can ensure that communication and support are provided to the parent in a way that they can understand and use. Cognitive assessments involve a short clinical history taking and the administration of a standardised, validated measure of IQ.

Assessments of capacity to instruct a legal representative

Where there are concerns with regard to a parent's understanding of information crucial to the legal decision making process around their child, we are able to carry out assessments of 'Capacity to Instruct'. This involves the completion of a cognitive assessment (if this has not already been carried out) and a short interview.

Litigation capacity assessments are carried out by chartered clinical psychologists with considerable experience of working with parents in care proceedings and in working with the Family Court system.