Are the Family Courts accurately assessing drug and alcohol cases, taking into account all relevant evidence?

Join us for an insightful and accredited family law CPD event led by Dr. Catherine Pyves, as she raises a crucial question. Are Family Courts receiving a comprehensive understanding of drug and alcohol cases? In this engaging session, participants will earn three hours of certified CPD.

When it comes to validating suspicions regarding drug or alcohol use, lab reports serve as a quick and straightforward method. However, it is important to recognise that these reports have accepted margins of error and room for interpretation. They should be viewed as an initial layer of evidence, offering indications rather than definitive proof.

What are the drawbacks?

Unfortunately, many cases within the Family Courts overlook important variables, presenting data as conclusive without considering the necessary medical perspective.

This oversight poses a significant risk for all parties involved. It provides an opportunity for an expert witness to challenge one side of the argument and can potentially lead to dismissal and condemnation by the judge, reminiscent of Justice Moylan’s landmark ruling in 2010.

Ultimately, this approach can result in an incorrect outcome for the family, whether it involves the unjustified removal of a child or maintaining their presence in an unsafe environment. We will explore this further in this family law CPD event.

Are drugs still escaping detection in the family courts?

So, what steps should we be taking to address this issue?

As professionals responsible for safeguarding, what additional measures can we implement to assist the courts in adopting a balanced and informed view of the evidence?

In this free family law CPD event, Dr Catherine Pyves will explore the missing steps. She will present a practical approach that can be applied in both private and public cases. Join us to gain valuable insights and contribute to the ongoing improvement of the Family Court system.

We’ve had plenty of positive feedback from previous CPD events:

“Very informative, very engaging and such a lovely warm and friendly welcome, putting people at instant ease and ready to listen and learn.“

AH – Senior practitioner Safeguarding (Stoke Event)

“I can only offer positive feedback as it was both informative and interesting.”

TD – Trainee Solicitor (Swansea Event)

“Excellent presentation, would recommend to any Family Law practitioner.“

EF – Solicitor (Cardiff Event)

“Outstanding professional representation and clinical competence of speaker in NHS setting – Dr. Pyves is a very well-known and respected psychiatrist.”

WG – Mental Health Liaison Practitioner (Cardiff Event)

Register for our CPD event in Leeds on the 18th of July…