The results are shocking but will not surprise those of us who assist families in the justice system, but Channel 4’s investigation into expert witnesses reveals that Around 20 per cent of psychologists acting as expert witnesses for the family courts may not be qualified. You can view the report by Professor Ireland, here.
The programme was aired last night and comes after Channel 4 made its media request for families and practitioners to get in touch with them. It may be the case that Channel 4 news will be releasing another programme shortly on Residential Assessment Units for Families, so we’ll look out for that, too.
To watch the programme last night, simply click on the image below…..
Researching Reform 
The charity, http://www.childrenscreamingtobeheard.com For the past year I have been reserching into the finances per child taken into care, and what with the millions of people employed in the childrens system, with many social workers who are not correctly trained and now the different therapists, every child taken into care is costing the tax payer over £500.000. Millions are spent on advertising that there is a huge shortage of foster carers, not true we have thousands of famiies and grandparents who will give a loving home, but then we are not paying the goverment departments or the foster agents money to have a child live with us. If channel 4 wants a big story I suggest they expose the finances, but then they may get slapped with a D notice.
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This example speaks for itself !!
A review is still going on of 700 cases in which bogus forensic scientist Gene Morrison gave evidence. Morrison, 48, from Manchester who was sentenced to five years for fraud in February, admitted he pretended to be an expert witness and bought his qualifications on the internet because it “seemed easier” than getting real ones.
For many of the genuinely qualified experts, legal work is a lucrative sideline, and if they are perceived to be able to “tailor” their evidence convincingly, the commissions keep flowing in. John Hemming, a Liberal Democrat MP campaigning about the misuse of medical evidence, says fees for a basic written opinion, based on reading through existing files, start at £4,000. If the expert concludes there is a case to answer, they attract court attendance fees as well.
“I have known experts get as much as £28,000 for one report,” said Hemming, who is lobbying for experts to be required to produce the scientific publications on which their opinion is based: “Unless we start using evidence-based evidence in court, we will get nowhere.”
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I had an experience in December 2011 after I made applications for defined contact order, residence order and prohibited steps order to Court. I was protecting my child from emotional upset and wanted a ‘suitable contact arrangement’ for my child to see their other parent and paternal family. Unfortunately an expert who was assigned on the 12/12/11 whom had to submit a report by 21/12/11 ‘changed her recommendation overnight’ the night before the 21/12/11 Court hearing.. There was a misconception of ‘breaking a contact order’ and it was demanded that if no interim residence was given to the other parent the judge would be willing to give my child’s other parent full residence.’ I didn’t get a trial to find out if I was guilty or not. This expert who made the overnight recommendation is no longer on the case but my child is still not back with me. Also as it happens one other Cafcass officer has left and my own solicitor has left the firm of solicitors I was with and I have to find another solicitor.
Concerned that that day in December has unsettled my child. I remember all this feeling of shock on the day at such an ‘overnight recommendation’ and that the Courts seemed to control me quite aggressively in a way that I was rendered powerless over the situation. Even to this day I think ‘why didn’t my barrister fight this? Why did my solicitor not fight this’ and then I think well the case isn’t over yet maybe there is a reason. I also had a case of audio and paper evidence but I hear different excuses about these things not being introduced. I still currently have a lot of evidence concerning the experts as well as my child too.
I spoke in Court January about my child and how they are not coping and give this new Judge their due they did listen slightly or though not enough to make a difference for my child.
I honestly believe that people can make mistakes, and yes the mistakes are
emotionally costly, but all my child and I need and what we’ve both expressed is to be reunited..
If I’m also honest I can say that yes the expert was highly personal and didn’t get to know myself or my child for very long at all. As it happens Caffcass as a whole did not research much and info was largely inconsistent, flawed and a lot about myself magnified. There was no information about the other parties in the case.
My child is grieving and very upset and they’ve begged me to take them back home with me. ”Mummy please please take me back to ……………. with you now please please” ‘ Mummy that sign says ‘what children need’, you know what I need don’t you mummy and that’s love” ”Mummy how can the Courts do this to us.”
Its a horrible situation to be in for the both of us and we pine for each other everyday, but to make sure my child does not go away feeling too much anger toward people in authority I’ve explained to them yes I want them back so much, I love them and they have every right to feel cross and confused but people who don’t know the full story do make mistakes and this will be found.
I’m also in a situation whereby I feel I am not allowed to feel too cross about this situation in case it affects my case and getting my child back. It’s catch 22 Courts don’t like hearing criticism in Courts especially as I’ve learned about experts . The facts can still sound critical, so what am I supposed to do? At the first hearing I mentioned I was concerned that my child had still not achieved suitable amendments and I mentioned rights and the children act in the end because I was desperate for my child to get what she needed and the Judge looked at me as if I’d said something quite wrong and he became extremely critical. So there you are you can’t do right for doing wrong in some people’s eyes.
I set up a facebook page in November 2011 about expert opinions being important but as parents so are our opinions important and more than anyone so are children’s needs important.
M
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Your story rings true as with mine with the exception that the kids are with me. I have been labelled as an alienating parent. It’s not until you study the subject you realise the damage it has done in America and apparently this country. In my case an ‘expert witness was employed’ to say as much. I say this as her report was so slanted you could fall off. She charged £9000 for poss. only two days work. Serious omissions have been a feature of this case throughout,. including by CAFCASS who seemingly employed this person to achieve their goal. The PA label itself can easily destroyed when you look at it’s roots. Richard Gardner was the first proponent in USA. In English courts a recognised psycologist by the name of Dr L F Lowenstein has been criticised heavily by the president of the family courts back in 2002. If you’ve had an’expert witness’ do what I did and ask on whose theory they have based their work. His name popped up and his work was based on Gardner. Checkout his name on Wikipedia then links to work by Caro S. Bruch and Dallam (the dangers of using PA in family courts). If this is a feature in your case your heart will miss a beat. Worse still, social services to an extent go along with this unless you stand your ground. My kids have been abused by their mother but the use of the theory assumes the alienating parent is lying and in a cruel twist pressures you into forcing the issue of contact with an abuser. If the kids object to contact then the professionals blame you and if they do go they say you are an abuser because you let your kids go to an abuser. There you go catch 22.The system stinks but the professionals involved more so. I have my final hearing next week after 3 years and will be telling the judge all of the above and do not care one bit if he gets angry. They are my kids, they are very happy and excelling at school which is a sign that there was abuse by the mother. Stand your ground and get your family GP on side as they do have some serious power where the kids health is being compromised.
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