CCFE is a comprehensive evaluation of all of the variables bearing on one or more child(ren)'s lives for the purpose of helping concerned caregivers answer a specific question. Often the question to be answered bears on planned or on-going litigation. Sometimes, a CCFE can be used to avoid the costs, stresses and polarization associated with litigation.

Assisting caregivers to answer critical questions about a child's future often involves examination and integration of a wide breadth of variables depending, in part, on the precise question to be addressed. These variables often include:
1. the child's unique social, emotional, developmental, educational and physical/medical strengths and weaknesses;
2. each of the caregiver's respective strengths and weaknesses;
3. the "fit" or quality of the relationships  among co-parents, between each parent and each child and within each family group; and,
4. the relevant environmental factors such as the nature of the home, neighborhood, classroom, school and/or school district.

CCFE may be most familiar in the form of a "custody evaluation," that is, a comprehensive, child-centered psychological assessment for the purpose of recommending the nature, terms and limits of a  child's care in each of two or more caregiver's homes.

Dr. Garber relies on CCFE more broadly to respond to questions including post-divorce visitation choices, parental relocation choices and educational advocacy and placement decisions.

Probably not. For this reason, participants must mutually acknowledge from the start that Dr. Garber is a child-centered professional neutral to the adult conflict.

The answer varies entirely upon the breadth of the question to be addressed, the complexity of the issues, the physical distances and associated travel time and costs and the availability of the parties involved. In the extreme, Dr. Garber was able to complete a very narrowly-defined CCFE in educational advocacy in one ten day period. At the other extreme, one child custody CCFE  was dragged out beyond the six month term of the CCFE agreement due to one party's unavailability, requiring that the matter be closed while still incomplete.

In general, many CCFEs require approximately eight to ten weeks including between 30 and 40 hours of Dr. Garber's time.

Adult participants will be required to acknowledge in writing the terms and limitations specific to the CCFE intended to answer their question. Each such agreement is unique and specifically tailored to the question to be addressed.

An example of a CCFE agreement can be viewed here

The cost of  each CCFE is estimated based on the number of clinician hours anticipated from start through delivery of the final summary report and will be due in advance as a retainer. Parties often split these costs, but this detail varies entirely by circumstance. In some instances, if one party agrees to pay all costs another party might be more willing to participate.

Please inquire directly with your insurance carrier about reimbursement and benefits. Dr. Garber will not bill your insurance company directly. To learn more about insurance reimbursement, click here

As always, Dr. Garber will take every precaution to protect the confidences of  all parties. However, the CCFE initial agreement typically stipulates that the nature of the assessment may require that Dr. Garber divulge otherwise private matters in the course of investigation. Further, because a CCFE is often related to a legal question (custody, for example) everything that becomes part of the CCFE process is vulnerable to the discovery process lawyers engage in and can be revealed under court order.

1. Contact Dr. Garber to discuss if and how a CCFE might be appropriate to your circumstance.
2. Discuss CCFE as alternative to or as a complement to legal action, mediation and aribtration with your advocate or attorney.
3. Notify the other parties involved (the child[ren]'s other parent, attorneys or the school, for example). Use the "Return Receipt Requested" service when notifying the other parties in writing through the United States Postal Service. Copy Dr. Garber on all such communications. Dr. Garber may need to speak with these other parties (and welcomes contact from them) before getting started.
4. Is there a Guardian ad litem involved? Dr. Garber may need your written release to speak to this person.
5. Complete the NEW PATIENT FORMS
6. Receive, review, sign and return the CCFE agreement Dr. Garber creates for you together with the NEW PATIENT FORMS and the retainer, as specified in the agreement.
7. Schedule the initial steps as outlined in the agreement.

Learn about the differences between a child-centered forensic evaluator, a Guardian ad litem (GAL) and a Parenting Coordinator (PC) here

What is a Parenting Coordinator?

In brief: A CCFE is the most comprehensive, child-centered means of understanding and establishing the means to best meet the needs of the children. Optimally, a GAL or a PC can "subcontract" the assessment part of the job to a CCFE.