By Barry Goldstein Most custody cases do not involve domestic violence (DV) or child abuse so if courts need assistance, mental health professionals would be an appropriate choice. Family courts are used to relying on mental health professionals for all cases, but this is based on a long history rather than good research. What works best for children in cases where there are reports or evidence … [Read more...]
The Court that Hurts Children
By Barry Goldstein Custody courts cannot protect children when they permit a biased theory, designed to help abusive fathers take custody from good mothers and twice rejected by the American Psychiatric Association because there is no research to support it, to have more influence over the courts than ACE (adverse childhood experiences) and Saunders that are peer-reviewed scientific studies … [Read more...]
Watchdog criticises family courts’ handling of domestic abuse
System retraumatises victims of abuse in England and Wales and puts children’s safety at risk, report says. The family courts are putting the safety of children at risk by failing to deal effectively with domestic abuse, a report says. The domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, calls in the report for urgent reforms to a family justice system that she says … [Read more...]
Her son said his stepdad was sexually abusive. A judge gave the stepdad custody anyway. Then his mom found the photographs.
How the 'junk science' of parental alienation infiltrated American family courts and allowed accused child abusers to win custody of their kids. In the summer of 2020, when he was 12, the boy told his therapist something he'd never told anyone else. For years, Robert claimed, his stepdad had sexually abused him. The therapist alerted the San Diego County child welfare agency, which … [Read more...]
The Child Knows Best: The Resultant Provision of Wellbeing When the Court Hears & Rules Accordingly
by Genevieve Brackins, Ph.D. Children inherently deserve to be nurtured and supported in their growth and development yet abuse all too often harms the wellbeing and development of children.[1] When a parent does not provide care and protection for a child the child may attempt self-preservation. This attempt may take the form of trying to stay beyond the reach of an abusive parent. Yet, family … [Read more...]