Custody Assessment

I am interested in comments only from professionals who have had experience in custody assessment on this, though anyone interested in the issue is invited to read.

The problem is that there are 2 parents in dispute about custody of a child. All other things being equal in their parenting abilities and quality of relationship with the child, parent A has beliefs that prevent him or her from allowing the child to be vaccinated, receive antibiotics, etc. Call parent A a naturalist, Jehovah's Witness, or what-have-you. Parent B claims that because parent A's beliefs prevent him or her from allowing conventional medical treatment for this child, it is in the child's best interests for Parent B to obtain custody.

The court wants the opinion of a psychologist.

Any ideas on how to approach this?

e-mail ea776@freenet.carleton.ca

• my two cents by ann, 2/4/98
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