Offers a review of the latest literature but moreover a practical guide essential to professionals who give their expert opinions to courts in child care cases.

Section 1: Principles and Practice. What Principles Guide Parenting Assessments? Reder, Duncan and Lucey, How are Assessments Conducted for Family Proceedings? Reder, Duncan and Lucey, Would Cultural Matching Ensure Culturally Competent Assessments? Maitra, Section 2 : The Child's Perspective. What is the Relevance of Attachment to Parenting Assessments? Baker. What are the Significant Dimensions of Harm to a Child? Duncan and Baker. Are children reliable witnesses to their experiences? Westcott and Jones. How much should children's views count? Reder, Duncan. Section 3 : Can Adolescents parent? Reder, Fitzpatrick, Can Parents with Personality disorders adequately care for children? Cordess, Can violent parents be fit parents? Sturge, How do Mental Health Problems Affect Parenting? Duncan, Reder, Would Exploration of Unresolved Conflicts Inform Parenting Assessments? Reder, Duncan, Does the Past Predict the Future? Reder Section 4: Is it Possible to Work with Parental Denial? Bentovim, What Contact Arrangements are in a Child's Best Interests? Lucey, Sturge, Fellow-Smith, Reder, Long-term Foster-care or Adoption? Triseliotis, How Does a Judge Weigh up a Case? Lord Justice Thorpe