Determining the Suitable Parent on Children’s Custody Cases

Authors

  • İshak Kalkavan , Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.
  • Erhan Büken , Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17986/blm.2017127142

Keywords:

Qarenting, Parenting, Parenting Capacity, Custody

Abstract

The rate of divorce cases has projected an increasing number in recent years. In these cases, if couples have children and are demanding a divorce, a settlement should be done about which parent should have the custody of the children. A parent ought to carry out his/her parenting responsibilities so that the children would complete their developmental process in a healthy and sufficient environment. The level of fulfillment of parenting skills in long term “good enough” by parents is called parenthood capacity. One of the most important points to take into consideration while deciding on a custodian is the assessment of parenthood capacity. For an accurate assessment, judge might consult a referee. The aim here is to assist the judge to reach a verdict on custody assessing the reports run by the referee. This assessment demonstrates parents’ current situation rather than their eligibility to be custodian. Since parenthood assessment, regarding protection of child, is used during judicial process, it is a different notion from clinical examination of parents or parenthood education. There are various assessment tools on parenthood, which are actively used by professionals in the literature. These tools might slightly differ from each other. It is usually under the initiative of referee to choose the right tool for an assessment. However, it is essential to pay regard to the social norms of that particular society while choosing an assessment tool. This article will discuss the possible objective standards to use for assessing parenthood capacity. The features of two tools, which are claimed to be feasible for use in an assessment (Parenting Skills Assessment-10; Parenting Competence 3), will be studied.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • İshak Kalkavan, , Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.
    Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.  Araştırma Görevlisi Doktor
  • Erhan Büken, , Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.
    Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp A.D.  Profesör Doktor

References

http://www.adlisicil.adalet.gov.tr/istatistik_2012/130.pdf Erişim Tarihi: 10.08.2015

Çocuk Haklarına Dair Sözleşme (http://www.unicef.org/turkey/pdf/_cr23.pdf Erişim Tarihi: 10.08.2015)

Çocuk Koruma Kanunu. 5395. Kabul Tarihi: 3.7.2005. Resmi Gazete yayınlanma tarihi: 15.7.2005; Resmi Gazete Sayısı: 25876

Ailenin Korunması ve Kadına Karşı Şiddetin Önlenmesine Dair Kanun 6284. Kabul Tarihi: 8.3.2012. Resmi Gazete yayınlanma tarihi: 20.3.2012; Resmi Gazete Sayısı: 28239

Portnoy SM. The psychology of divorce: A lawyer’s primer, part 2: The effects of divorce on children. American Journal of Family Law. 2008;21(4):126-134.

Gough D, Stanley N. Parenting capacity. Child Abuse Review. 2004;13(1):1–4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/car.836

Seden J. Creative connections: Parenting capacity, reading with children and practitioner assessment and intervention. Child & Family Social Work. 2008;13(2):133-143 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2007.00526.x

Child Protection and Parenting Capacity Assessments; A Framework for Reducing Harm (http://www.childprotectionpartnership.org.uk/home/home.asp Erişim Tarihi: 17/08/2015)

Moran JA, Weinstock DK. Assessing parenting skills for family court. Journal of Child Custody. 2011;8(3):166-188 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15379418.2011.594726

Eve PM, Byrne MK, Gagliardi CR. What is good parenting? The perspectives of different professionals. Family Court Review. 2014;52(1):114-127 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12074

White A. Assessment of parenting capacity, Literature review. Ashfield New South Wales Sydney Australia, 2005

Harnett PH. A procedure for assessing parents' capacity for change in child protection cases. Children and Youth Services Review. 2007;29(9):1179-1188 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2007.04.005

Emery RE, Otto RK, O'Donohue WT. A critical assessment of child custody evaluations limited science and a flawed system. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 2005; 6(1):1-29 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-1006.2005.00020.x

Bala N. Assessments for postseparation parenting disputes in Canada. Family Court Review. 2004;42(3):485-510 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.174-1617.2004.tb00665.x

Budd KS. Assessing parenting capacity in a child welfare context. Decision Making in Child Welfare, Children and Youth Services Review. 2005;27(4):429-444 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2004.11.008

Stahl PM, Martin L. An historical look at child custody evaluations and the influence of AFCC. Family Court Review. 2013;51(1):42-47 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12006

Patel SH, Jones KD. Assessment of family custody issues using mental health evaluations: Implications for mental health counselors. Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 2008;30(3):189-199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.30.3.67025mu607j75405

Schmidt F, Cuttress LJ, Lang J, Lewandowski MJ, Rawana JS. Assessing the parent–child relationship in parenting capacity evaluations: Clinical applications of attachment research. Family Court Review 2007;45(2):247-259 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1617.2007.00141.x

Azar ST, Lauretti AF, Loding BV. The Evaluation of parental fitness in termination of parental rights cases: A functional-contextual perspective. Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review. 1998;1(2):77-100 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021883611965

Cyr F, Di Stefano G, Desjardins B. Family life, parental separation, and child custody in Canada: A focus on Quebec. Family Court Review 2013;51(4):522-541 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12050

Reed CS, Egeren LAV, McKelvey L. Psychometric Study of The Parenting Skills Assessment; A Practitioner Approach to Measuring Parenting Practices. Michigan State University Kellogg Center, Garden Level, East Lansing, Michigan, 2009

The protective capacity Assessment: Addressing Threats to Child Safety within the Case Plan (http://action4cp.org/documents/2005/pdf/Aug2005TheProtectiveCapacityAssessmentnowl.pdf Erişim Tarihi 17/08/2015)

Austin WG, Pruett MK, Kirkpatrick HD, Flens JR, Gould JW. Parental gatekeeping and child custody/child access evaluation: Part I: conceptual framework, research, and application. Family Court Review. 2013;51(3):485-501 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12045

Adshead G, Bluglass K. Attachment representations and factitious illness by proxy: relevance for assessment of parenting capacity in child maltreatment. Child Abuse Review 2001;10(6):398-410 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/car.723

Teubert D, Pinquart M. The association between coparenting and child adjustment: a meta-analysis. Parenting: Science & Practice. 2010;10(4):286-307 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15295192.2010.492040

Demby S. Interparent hatred and its impact on parenting: assessment in forensic custody evaluations. Psychoanalytic Inquiry. 2009;29(6):477-490 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07351690903013959

Downloads

Published

2017-04-29

Issue

Section

Review

How to Cite

1.
Kalkavan İshak, Büken E. Determining the Suitable Parent on Children’s Custody Cases. Bull Leg Med [Internet]. 2017 Apr. 29 [cited 2025 Sep. 6];22(1):54-63. Available from: https://www.adlitipbulteni.com/index.php/atb/article/view/975