20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Evaluation for Child Custody is presented by David A. Martindale, PhD, ABPP. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Child Custody Evaluation Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

This program provides an introduction to and an overview of custody and parenting evaluations and addresses advanced topics, including relocation requests, allegations of intimate partner violence, child sexual abuse, and alienation. Participants learn how to effectively manage pre-evaluation contacts with attorneys, litigants, and the court; develop a detailed statement of understanding; conduct forensic interviews of adults and children. Report writing, testimony, and risk management procedures are also addressed.


Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe how to effectively manage pre-evaluation contacts with attorneys, litigants, and the court
  • 2 Describe how to develop a detailed statement of understanding
  • 3 Describe how to conduct forensic interviews of adults and children
  • 4 Describe evaluations that involve relocation requests
  • 5 Describe the importance of record keeping and report writing procedures
  • 6 Describe testimony procedures
  • 7 Describe the importance of record keeping
  • 8 Describe the factors to consider in selecting assessment instruments
  • 9 Describe the goals of psychological testing
  • 10 Describe risk management procedures

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for individuals involved in child custody and family court evaluations, offering comprehensive education on the evaluation process, legal considerations, and best practices. It is suitable for both clinicians and legal practitioners, providing valuable insights for those specializing in or interested in this area.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Attorney collaborating on child custody cases
    • Professionals seeking to add child custody evaluation to their clinical practice

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for entry-level professionals.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to custody and parenting evaluations and seek to understand core concepts, including managing pre-evaluation contacts, developing statements of understanding, and conducting forensic interviews.
    • No prior experience with custody evaluations is required.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who participate in this training typically work in environments where child custody and family court evaluations are conducted. These settings are often multidisciplinary and may include private clinical practices, mental health clinics, family court systems, legal offices, or government agencies. The work environment is structured to support confidential assessments, interviews, and collaboration with legal professionals, often involving direct interaction with families, children, attorneys, and the court. These professionals may also provide expert testimony and prepare detailed reports for legal proceedings.

    • Private psychology or psychiatry practices specializing in forensic or family evaluations
    • Outpatient mental health clinics offering family and child assessment services
    • Family court systems or court-appointed evaluator offices
    • Social service agencies involved in child welfare and custody matters
    • Law firms or legal aid organizations collaborating with mental health professionals on custody cases
    • University or hospital-based clinics with forensic evaluation services
    • Independent consultants providing custody evaluation and expert witness testimony

Presented By

David Martindale, PhD, ABPP, Consultant

David Martindale, Ph.D., ABPP (forensic) limits his practice to consulting with psychologists, attorneys, and state regulatory boards. He lectures regularly on issues pertaining to evaluations of comparative custodial suitability, served on the AFCC Child Custody Consulting Task Force, and was the Reporter for the AFCC Model Standards of Practice for Child Custody Evaluation.

View More Programs from this Presenter
David Martindale, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Essentials in the Evaluation for Child Custody
    Learn how to effectively manage pre-evaluation contacts with attorneys, litigants, and the court; how to develop a detailed statement of understanding; and how to conduct forensic interviews of adults and children.

  • Advanced Topics in Evaluation for Child Custody
    Focus on evaluations that involve relocation requests and allegations of intimate partner violence, child sexual abuse, and alienation.
    This section also addresses report writing, testimony, and risk management procedures.

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.