By James McCabe, editor · How this site is researched
Your supervisor forwards a 22-page psychological evaluation of a parent, or of the child on your case. It is full of test names, scores and phrases like "diagnostic impressions." You are not a clinician and nobody expects you to become one. Your job is narrower: understand what the evaluator was asked, what they actually did, and what the report does and does not support, so your court report and your questions stay accurate.
Know what kind of evaluation you are holding
Most evaluations you see as a volunteer fall into three groups:
- Parent evaluations in a dependency case. The American Psychological Association's Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters, approved by the APA Council of Representatives in August 2024, describe these as looking at issues such as maltreatment, parenting capacity and risk. They stress the link, or nexus, between a parent's actions or inactions and significant harm to the child.
- Custody evaluations in family court. APA's Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings, approved in 2009, frame the purpose as helping determine "the psychological best interests of the child." APA's page now marks them as archived, so check whether a newer version applies.
- Child evaluations, often trauma or developmental assessments ordered to plan services.
Courts order these under their own rules. In Pennsylvania custody cases, for example, Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.8 lets the court order a child or a party to "fully participate in an evaluation." The order must set the "place, manner, conditions and scope" of the exam and who gets the report. The rule says the report goes to the guardian ad litem if there is one. Your state's rule will differ, so ask your program which rule applies.
Read it in this order
Do not start with the diagnosis. Start at the front and work through these parts.
1. The referral question
Near the top, the report should say who asked for it and why. A typical line reads: "Referred by the agency to assess Ms. R's parenting capacity and recommend services." Write the question down. Everything after it should answer that question. APA's custody guidelines say evaluators should set the scope "consistent with the nature of the referral question."
2. Sources of information
Look for a list of interviews, observations, tests and records reviewed, with dates. Note what is missing. Did the evaluator observe the parent with the child? Read school or medical records? Talk to the foster parent? APA's custody guidelines state that "multiple methods of data gathering enhance the reliability and validity" of conclusions. They also say that when an exam could not be done, the evaluator should document the effort and limit conclusions to match.
3. Test results
You do not need to interpret scores. Notice whether the report explains each test in plain words and whether it flags validity problems, such as a parent answering defensively. APA's custody guidelines caution that a custody dispute can affect how people behave during testing.
4. Diagnostic impressions
Treat a diagnosis as one professional's conclusion at one point in time, not as a fixed label. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network's guidance on assessing complex trauma notes that children with long trauma histories often collect "multiple diagnoses and potential misdiagnoses." It says a sound assessment uses interviews, standardized measures and observations, gathers views from the child, caregivers and teachers, and dates each traumatic event.
5. Recommendations
Check whether each recommendation traces back to something earlier in the report. APA's custody guidelines say the court "will expect it to be supportable" on the basis of the evaluation. If a recommendation appears with no supporting finding, that is a question for your supervisor, not a conclusion for your report.
Questions a supervisor will typically ask you
- What was the referral question, and did the report answer it?
- When was the evaluation done? Has anything changed since, such as a new placement, treatment or sobriety date?
- Does what you have seen on visits match or differ from the evaluator's observations?
- Are the recommended services in place, and is there a waitlist?
- Does the child's evaluation suggest needs the school or caregiver should know about?
Using the evaluation in your court report
Your report describes what you saw and what the records say. It does not restate a clinician's diagnosis as your own finding. A careful line reads: "The psychological evaluation dated March 4 recommends weekly trauma-focused therapy. As of this report, the child is on the waitlist at the county clinic." That line cites the source, dates it and adds something only you know. For structure, see writing an effective GAL court report.
If your observations conflict with the evaluation, report the observation with the date and the facts. Do not argue with the evaluator in writing. Raise the gap with your supervisor, who decides how it is handled. If you may be called to testify about it, review testifying as a GAL volunteer.
Handling the document itself
Psychological evaluations are among the most sensitive records in a case file. Follow your program's rules on where they are stored, whether you may take notes from them, and who you may discuss them with. Do not share contents with the parents, foster parents or the child unless your program says you may. Our guide to confidentiality for GAL and CASA volunteers covers the general rules.
When to ask for help
You are allowed to say "I don't understand this section." NCTSN's fact sheet Assessment of Complex Trauma: Information for Non-Mental Health Professionals lists signs that a child may need a fuller trauma assessment, such as trouble with attention, relationships, sleep or regulating emotions. If you see those signs and the child has never been assessed, that is worth raising. For the trauma lens behind all of this, see trauma-informed advocacy.
Common questions
Do CASA volunteers need to understand psychological test scores?
No. A volunteer's role is to understand what the evaluator was asked, what methods were used and whether the recommendations follow from the findings. Questions about scores go to your supervisor.
Can I put the evaluator's diagnosis in my court report?
You can cite the evaluation by name and date and say what it recommends. Do not restate a diagnosis as your own finding. Follow your program's rules on what may be quoted.
What if what I see on visits does not match the evaluation?
Write down your observation with the date and the facts, and raise the difference with your supervisor. Your supervisor decides how it is handled in the report or in court.
Who decides whether an evaluation is ordered?
The court, under its own rules. In Pennsylvania custody cases, for example, Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.8 lets the court order an evaluation on its own motion, a party's motion or by agreement, and sets out who receives the report.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, county and courtroom, and they change. Verify anything time-sensitive with your supervising GAL staff, the court or a licensed attorney in your state.