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Children, young people and families

Guidance on the use of Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in the Family Courts in England and Wales (Standards and Competencies) - June 2023

This document is a joint effort by the Family Justice Council and the BPS and provides a set of guidelines for how to instruct expert witnesses in family proceedings.

01 June 2023

BPS Guidance

By BPS Practice Board

Please note: the Guidance from the Family Justice Council and the society on Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in the family courts in England and Wales - Standards, competencies and expectations has been updated.

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

Download the guidance