What is a Child Impact Report?
A registrar or a judge usually orders a Child Impact Report on the first return date. This is when parents start questioning what a Child Impact Report is and what I shall prepare for the Child Impact Report.
What is a Child Impact Report?
The Court will allocate a date for the parents and their child/children to come to the court for an interview with a Court Child Expert. They are usually qualified social workers or psychologists. One or two days prior to the interview, the Court Child Expert will have a short intake session with each parent separately.
Following the interview, the Court Child Expert will prepare a Child Impact Report. The Report will be made available to the Registrar, Judge and solicitors representing the parents.
In the Report, the Expert will usually mention the following aspects of the family:-
The relationship background. When did the parties start living together? When did the parties separate? Who was primarily taking care of the child?
Issues in dispute, such as there is a risk posed to the child?
What questions would be asked during the interview?
Each parent has a chance to describe the child’s personality in their opinion.
Each parent will be offered an opportunity to explain issues in dispute, such as past family disputes, incidents that occurred around separation, family violence history and drug and alcohol use.
The child will be asked to opine his or her attitude towards the interview and wishes about the time he or she spends with the parents.
Can I speak ‘off-the-record’ with the Court Child Expert?
Any information you provide to the Court Child Expert is not confidential. All information gathered by the Court Child Expert is admissible in court and can become evidence in your case.
What if I don’t agree with what is written in the Child Impact Report?
The Child Impact Report is only one source of evidence that the Court considers in making decisions. The Court is not bound by any advice given by the Court Child Expert. As with any evidence, the appropriate place to challenge the assessment is in court. You should raise your concerns with your lawyer if you have one.
Source: https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/pubs/child-impact-report-faq