Updated guidance on the use of Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in the family courts in England and Wales

Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in the family courts in England and Wales: Standards, competencies and expectations - Guidance from the Family Justice Council and the British Psychological Society has been updated in June 2023.

This version (version 2) includes additional guidance in relation to the instruction of psychologist expert witnesses, specifically the scrutiny of their regulation, their qualifications and their access to psychological tests given in(Re C (‘Parental Alienation’) [2023] EWHC 345 (Fam).

A CV template is given in Appendix 6 to assist psychologist experts in meeting this requirement.

Additions to note to existing guidance set out the distinction between a psychologist who is registered with the regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and an academic psychologist who would not have the same clinical competencies. It is also suggested that Family judges who appoint unregulated psychologists as expert witnesses in the courts should issue a judgment to explain their decision.

A link to the guide can be found below.