Paediatric expert witnesses

Child Psychologist Expert Witness Reports

Our chambers provide child psychologist expert witnesses to referring solicitors, giving independent psychological assessments of children: cognitive, emotional, behavioural and developmental. You see the CV before you appoint, and every report is written to the expert’s CPR Part 35 duty to the court.

  • Acts for either side
  • Single joint expert available
  • CV before you appoint
  • CPR Part 35 court-ready reports
Verified HCPC registered Practitioner psychologist

The role

What a child psychologist expert witness does

A child psychologist gives an independent psychological assessment of a child, cognitive, emotional, behavioural and developmental, and an opinion on the psychological impact of injury, abuse or a family situation, and on the child’s needs and prognosis.

Psychology consulting room
Independent psychological assessment for civil and family proceedings.

Credentials

Regulation

HCPC registered Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a practitioner psychologist.
Practitioner psychologist A psychologist assesses and gives a psychological opinion; not a medical doctor, so does not diagnose physical illness or prescribe.
CPR Part 35 duty The report meets the expert’s CPR Part 35 duty to the court in the same way as a medical expert’s.

Scope

Areas covered

A child psychologist expert witness covers the questions most often in issue where a psychological opinion is needed:

Cognitive and developmental assessment Psychological impact of injury and trauma Psychological impact of abuse Attachment and emotional harm Educational and behavioural questions

Where a medical diagnosis or medication opinion is needed, we work alongside a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Reports

What they assess and produce

The same expert can address the psychological questions in the case and produce the reports the proceedings require.

What they assess

  • Psychological impact of non-accidental injury and trauma
  • Neurodevelopmental presentation
  • Emotional harm relevant to family proceedings

What they produce

  • Psychological assessment reports
  • Condition-and-prognosis reports

Available as a single joint expert or a party-appointed expert.

Practitioner psychologist reviewing case records
Reports prepared to CPR Part 35 for claimant and defendant solicitors alike.

Assurance

How we vet the expert

  • We confirm HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist.
  • We review current practice.
  • We check familiarity with the CPR Part 35 duties of an expert witness.
  • You receive the CV to assess suitability before you appoint.

Independence

Written to the duty to the court

Every report is written to the expert’s duty to the court rather than to the party who appoints them. We act for either side, and we can provide a single joint expert where the parties agree.

Common questions

Yes, as practitioner psychologists with the HCPC.

A psychologist assesses and gives a psychological opinion; a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose and comment on medication. We provide both.

Yes, including attachment and emotional harm.

We respond within minutes of your enquiry and send the CV for review before you appoint.

Either side. The expert’s CPR Part 35 duty is to the court.

Appoint an expert

Tell us the case type

We will respond within minutes and allocate a child psychologist for your matter. We act for either side, for solicitors across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.