Australia's Largest and Most Trusted Clinical & Forensic Experts in Family Law

We provide specialist training, supervision, and professional development for psychologists, lawyers, teachers and allied professionals working in complex family law and forensic contexts. This is core to what we do — not an occasional offering — and our programs are grounded in real-world practice, evidence-based frameworks, and decades of frontline experience.

Taking place over two full days, and included home visits to respective residences as mandatory, this service is designed to generate the most comprehensive, in-home evaluation to explore complex family dynamics. It is the preferred service in matters where there are concerns about risk, parental competency, or parental alienation / resist-refuse dynamics.

The mainstay of our work is Single Expert Assessments. This is a detailed evaluation of a family, including, where possible, interviews with parents and children. Psychological testing is sometimes undertaken.

A Short Form Report is a concise, focused assessment prepared for proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It provides targeted expert opinion on specific questions without the breadth or length of a full family report.

Scientifically informed assessment in relation to risk, often using psychometric tests or other schedules to evaluate likelihood of violence, sexual, substance-related, abduction, or other harm.

Our mental health evaluations/psychological assessments provide courts and professionals with a depth of insight that extends well beyond standard assessments done by medical practitioners and general psychologists, and is tailored for a Family Law setting. Our work relies heavily on validated psychometric testing — including comprehensive personality evaluation — combined with rigorous clinical interviewing and extensive collateral file review. This multi-layered approach allows us to form nuanced, evidence-based opinions about functioning, risk, and psychological dynamics, ensuring our reports reflect not only the individual, but the full context in which concerns arise.

Our family therapy services are designed to help children and parents navigate the emotional and relational challenges of the post-separation environment. Therapy may involve a flexible combination of individual work, joint sessions with parents (where appropriate), and whole-family sessions, tailored to the unique needs of each family system. Our approach supports children’s adjustment, strengthens parental capacity, and promotes healthier communication patterns — helping families move forward with greater stability, clarity, and confidence.

Our individual therapy services provide structured, reportable intervention for matters before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. We commonly work with individuals who may have presented as reactive or aggressive prior to separation, those seeking to strengthen parenting skills, and parents needing support to manage the co-parenting space more effectively. Therapy is goal-focused and evidence-based, with clear documentation of engagement and progress, supporting both personal change and informed court outcomes while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children. Reports for the court are typically a summation of attendance, progress, topics, and participation, often comprising 1-2 pages to update proceedings.

Our child therapy services support children experiencing separation, conflict, or family transition, providing a safe, developmentally informed space to explore emotions, strengthen coping skills, and restore a sense of stability. Interventions are tailored to each child’s age and needs, and may include individual sessions alongside structured parental involvement where appropriate. When matters are the court, our work can be documented and reported, offering clear, clinically grounded insights into engagement, adjustment, and therapeutic progress — always with the child’s wellbeing at the centre.

Our shadow expert services (referred to as Secondary Consultation) provide rigorous, independent analysis of existing expert reports, offering clear insights into formulation, methodology, evidentiary foundations, and recommendations. This service is designed to help legal teams identify strengths, limitations, and alternative interpretations — bringing forensic clarity to complex psychological evidence and supporting strategic, well-informed decision-making.

Several of our clinicians have worked in civil matters that are unrelated to family law. We have advised on case strategy, reviewed health/psychological materials, advised about cross examination, and assisted in matters where the options initially appeared exhausted. Partner, Dr Ben Jones, leads this portfolio and would welcome calls about how Papaleo Associates may be able to assist.