With these extremely difficult, unprecedented times which are set to be with us for some time, we at Psychology Direct have ways to use safe and secure platforms to enable assessments of all types to take place remotely. If you would like to talk to any of our team about how we can support, please call us on 01306 879975. From all at Psychology Direct please stay safe and well.

Expert Witness Resources

Assessing the reliability and credibility of children’s evidence

Dr Sarah Krähenbühl, an associate member of Psychology Direct, Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University and also with The Open University, has undertaken extensive research on interviewing strategies used in children’s forensic interviews and as such has highly specialised skills in the area of child testimony. Dr Krähenbühl is a joint holder of a research grant from the British Academy to fund a project examining ground rule implementation in Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) and associated effects on children’s testimony.

In the last 2 years Dr Krähenbühl has written over twenty expert witness reports concerning the reliability and credibility of children’s evidence, competency and/or cognitive ability for the Family or Criminal Courts and have given evidence in the Family, Magistrates and Crown Courts in both England and Wales and Scotland. In a recent article in Counsel Magazine Dr Krähenbühl explains that she has “come to realise that there is a lack of understanding and awareness of the role of the expert witness and what he/she can and cannot do in the assessment of children’s testimony.” She has also found that the quality of the information obtained during the interviewing of a child witness “varies considerably”.

Please see articles below for more information

Our dedicated team really are the experts behind the Experts

A child’s testimony and measuring its value

A child’s testimony and measuring its value The information below is taken from an article in Counsel Magazine Dr Krähenbühl.  Dr Sarah Krähenbühl, an associate member of Psychology Direct, Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University and also with The Open University, has undertaken extensive research on interviewing strategies…

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Child interview process and protocols

Child interview process and protocols The stages of the investigative interview Interview protocols generally include flexibility in implementation according to the individual child. In legal proceedings there is concentration on the evidentially significant information. However, the process through which that information was elicited can have a considerable impact on the…

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Expert Witness assessment of child testimony

Expert Witness assessment of child testimony While the investigative interview is central to my expert assessment, to provide the full ‘picture’ I generally need to examine contextual information from the case bundle, such as social work reports, school records, medical reports and so forth, to establish whether there may be…

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FAQs

Unfortunately not, we only work business to business, through solicitors, local authorities, CPS, case management companies and schools. If you are a private individual looking for a psychologist please speak with your solicitor, school, GP or insurer.

If you wish to locate a Psychologist yourself then visit the British Psychological Society’s website at https://www.bps.org.uk/

Absolutely not! Our service is based on providing excellent value – and added value.

Not only will we secure you an appropriately qualified and experienced Psychologist for your case without all the time and hassle of searching for one yourself, but we’ll handle all administration, bookings and ensure you get the report on time plus you’ll have a dedicated client manager at your beck and call too.

So you get competitive prices and all our extra support at no extra cost, meaning you save yourself time and money.

This is often an area of confusion. Understanding the difference between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist can be crucial to securing the right professional for your case.

Psychologists are trained in human and emotional development. They use their extensive knowledge of human emotions, behaviour and mental health to assess the problems being experienced by their clients. Based on their expert assessment; conclusions, recommendations and treatment plans will be presented in a report as required. Psychologists use a range of assessment techniques including psychometric testing as well as varied therapeutic models in order to understand and improve the mental health and psychological well-being of clients.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors and as such are qualified to prescribe medication (such as anti-depressants) or in more extreme cases recommend hospitalisation, to help assess and manage the symptoms being experienced by the person concerned.

In some cases, it may not be immediately clear whether a Psychologist or a Psychiatrist is required. A complex case may even require both. Our extensive register of professionals includes both Psychologists and Psychiatrists, and our knowledgeable client team are on hand to give you the advice you need and supply the right type of professional. If you have any questions at all, just give us a call.

Yes. We are fully aware and understanding of our clients’ budgets, so all our Psychologists work to Legal Aid rates.

We can also supply CVs and quotes for 3 Experts with the full breakdown of hours, as required by the Legal Aid Agency.

First of all, contact us! You can call us on 01306 879 975. You can request a call back. You can email us or use our contact form. Once we have your initial contact request, we’ll respond within an hour. One of our Client Managers will take a brief of your requirements, and get to work straight away, using their knowledge of our network of Psychologists and Psychiatrists to get you 3 CVs and quotes within 24 hours. Once an Expert Witness is instructed, bookings for assessments and all other administration required for the case will be managed by us and we will ensure that the report is delivered within your required timescales.