Certificate in Child Custody Evaluation

Become a Court-Ready Child Custody Evaluator

Child Custody Evaluation Certificate

Help ensure the best possible outcome for children during a difficult life transition and support divorcing parents who seek the help of a credentialed custody professional. This certificate program spans 150 hours of CE-earning content across 12 programs.

150 CE Hours

12 Expert-Led Self-Paced Programs

$4,150 USD Total

✔ Meets key training expectations for court-involved evaluators
✔ Led by nationally recognized forensic psychologists
✔ Designed for real-world application in legal settings
✔ Develop the knowledge and techniques to ensure children get the best possible outcome during difficult life transitions

Certificate Overview

This certificate is designed for professionals working in—or preparing to work in—court-involved family evaluations, where clinical judgment must meet legal standards and withstand scrutiny.

It is well-suited for:

Licensed psychologists and forensic evaluators
Clinicians transitioning into custody-related work
Professionals seeking structured, advanced training in custody evaluation

Custody evaluations carry significant consequences for families and are subject to close legal and professional review. This program reflects those realities by emphasizing practices that are clear, well-reasoned, and defensible.

Throughout the training programs, participants engage with content aligned with expectations for court-involved evaluators, including managing bias, navigating high-conflict and high-risk cases, and applying consistent professional standards. Whether building foundational competence or refining existing skills, the training is designed to support responsible, high-quality evaluation work.

What you will gain

This program focuses on the skills required to perform custody evaluations that are both clinically sound and legally defensible. Our training emphasis is on practical application not just conceptual knowledge.

Conduct comprehensive, multi-source custody evaluations
Apply evidence-based and developmentally informed frameworks
Identify and manage bias in high-stakes decision-making
Communicate findings effectively in legal contexts
Write clear, structured reports that withstand legal scruting

HOW IT WORKS

You can complete the full certificate at once or progress over time.

Format

Fully online, self-paced with on-demand access available anytime

Pacing

Flexible; most complete within 12 months

CE Credits

Earned per course

Presenters

About our Presenters

Tracy Thomas, PhD, ABPP

Daniel Davis, PhD, ABPP

Robin Timme, Psy.D., ABPP

Marvin Acklin, PhD

Dee Farmer

Mary Elizabeth Wood, PhD, ABPP

Angela Torres, PhD, ABPP

Chad Brinkley, PhD, ABPP

David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP

Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP

William Foote, PhD, ABPP

A.J McConnell PsyD

Bob Stinson, PsyD, JD, ABPP

Christina A. Pietz, PhD, ABPP

Jemour A. Maddux, Psy.D., ABPP

Philip Stahl, PhD, ABPP

Kostas A. Katsavdakis, PhD, ABPP

Krissie Fernandez Smith, Ph.D., ABPP

Candyce Shields, PhD, ABPP

Michael Vitacco, PhD, ABPP

Irving B. Weiner, PhD, ABPP

Lori L. Hauser, PhD, ABPP

Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP

Michelle R. Guyton, PhD, ABPP

Yossef Ben-Porath, PhD, ABPP

Julie Gallagher, PsyD, ABPP

Christopher Slobogin, J.D., LLM

Philip Resnick, MD

Debra Baeder, PhD, ABPP

David W. Thompson, PhD, ABPP

Robert Cochrane, Psy.D., ABPP

Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP

Antoinette Kavanaugh, PhD, ABPP

David DeMatteo, JD, PhD, ABPP

Edward Rhett Landis, PhD, ABPP

Karen Postal, PhD, ABPP

Mark Cunningham, PhD, ABPP

Amanda Conn, PsyD

Shawn Acheson, PhD

Chriscelyn Tussey, PsyD, ABPP

Claude J. Kelly, JD

Gina Manguno-Mire, PhD

What You Will Learn in Awesome Academy

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisc ing elit.

Evidence for Forensic Mental Health Professionals

Cultural Considerations in Forensic Mental Health Assessment

Ethics in Forensic Psychological Practice

Forensic Case Formulation and Treatment Planning

Report Writing for Forensic Evaluation

Effective Expert Testimony For Forensic Evaluation

Evaluation for Child Custody

Interviewing Report Writing and Testifying in Child Custody Cases

Forensic Psychological Assessment in Custody Litigation

Risk Management for Custody Evaluators and Court Involved Therapists

Allegations of Alienation or Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Evaluations

In This Course You Will Learn:

Develop the knowledge and techniques to help ensure children get the best possible outcome during a difficult transition in their lives by assessing their needs and their parents’ ability to deliver on those needs.
Describe how to effectively manage pre-evaluation contacts with attorneys, litigants, and the court
Describe evaluations that involve relocation requests, how to develop a detailed statement of understanding, and how to conduct forensic interviews of adults and children
Describe the importance of record-keeping and report writing procedures
Describe testimony procedures and the factors to consider in selecting assessment instruments
Describe the key elements of child forensic interviewing and at least three biases that must be considering while conducting interviews
Describe the factors to be considered regarding the inclusion of diagnoses
Describe different types of forensic reports
Describe the elements of admissible expert testimony
Describe the distinction between personal opinions and expert opinions and much more

Let Our Team Build the Right Training for Your Organization

Meet 1:1 with us so we can hear your unique workplace training needs. Tell us about your organization and your staff. What do you need to deliver on your goals and elevate your team?

In partnership with our curriculum development team and presenters we will customize a program to deliver the skills and knowledge you need--on your budget and timeline.

Book a Call

We Train Organizations of all Sizes

Hear from Program Participants

Our training programs are led by industry experts and supported by flexible learning tools, so participants gain skills that translate immediately into practice.

"I don't know that I would have passed my boards without CONCEPT"

Having the downloadable source material to study from was a huge advantage for my board certification tests, since I could review the content as many times as I needed. I don't know that I would have passed my boards without CONCEPT, since much of what I reviewed in those presentations were covered in my exam.

"Some of the most amazing professionals in the field"

The programs are staffed by some of the most amazing experts in the field, and they made themselves available to me if I followed up with a question.

Ph.D, Psycholgoist PSY15631

Dr. Abraham Loebenstein

WHO IS IT FOR?

Who can write their first book?

Our book writing course is designed for aspiring authors who want to transform their ideas into a published reality, even if they've never written before.

Start your book journey now

Who is this certificate designed for?

This certificate is designed for professionals working in, or preparing to work in, court-involved family evaluations, where clinical opinions must be clearly reasoned, well-documented, and able to withstand legal scrutiny.

Practicing Forensic Evaluators – Refine report writing, data integration, and testimony in custody cases.
Clinicians Transitioning into Custody Work – Build a clear foundation in evaluation methods and court expectations.
Clinicians Building Specialization – Develop a structured, consistent approach within your practice.
Professionals Expanding Court-Involved Work – Strengthen clarity, defensibility, and professional standards.

What skills will you gain?

Comprehensive Evaluation Skills – Conduct multi-source, evidence-informed custody evaluations.
Report Writing & Documentation – Produce clear, structured, and defensible reports.
Bias Awareness & Decision-Making – Identify and manage bias in high-stakes cases.
Courtroom Communication – Present findings clearly in legal settings.

Why is this training essential?

High-Stakes Outcomes – Evaluations directly impact court decisions affecting families.
Legal Scrutiny – Work must be well-reasoned and able to withstand cross-examination.
Complex Case Dynamics – Navigate conflict, risk, and competing narratives.
Professional Expectations – Meet standards required for court-involved evaluators.

How is the training structured?

Foundational Competencies – Ethics, assessment principles, and bias mitigation.
Applied & Advanced Topics – High-conflict cases, risk, and family dynamics.
Progressive Learning Path – Builds from core concepts to applied practice.
Flexible, Self-Paced Format – Complete on your schedule with on-demand access.