Identify psychological child abuse with the same confidence you bring to physical abuse.

A free front-line protection checklist for clinicians, evaluators, GALs, and attorneys working high-conflict custody cases. Built on the Childress framework, the SAFeR overlay, and over 20 years of family reunification work.

  • The three diagnostic indicators of pathogenic parenting with the threshold rule courts hold up
  • The SAFeR screening overlay for distinguishing pathogenic parenting from authentic estrangement
  • Court-ready language that survives cross-examination
  • Differential diagnosis logic so you know who is causing the rejection before you write your report

Built by Dorcy Pruter. Over 20 years in family reunification work since 2006. Certified coach. Creator of the High Road to Reunification Program, the #1 court-ordered family reunification program in the country.

The problem this checklist solves

Most professionals working in family court were trained to act fast on physical and sexual abuse. The instruments exist. The thresholds are clear. The reporting language is established.

Psychological child abuse does not have that infrastructure. By the time a case reaches you, the targeted parent has often been cut off for months or years. The child's symptoms have hardened. The assessment tools you have were built for a different problem.

The result is a recommendation that misses the abuse, a reunification therapy referral that fails, and a professional on the stand defending a report that does not hold up.

This checklist is the first piece of the infrastructure you need.

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What's inside the checklist.

  • Section A: Initial SAFeR screening questions
  • Section B: Childress pathogenic parenting indicators
  • Section C: Parenting Practices Rating Scale for documenting both parents on a defensible scale
  • Section D: Determining when protection is warranted
  • Subthreshold investigation pathway for cases that need more data
  • Differential diagnosis table: who is causing the rejection
  • Implementation flow for front-line professionals

Who this is for

Licensed mental health professionals doing custody evaluations or court-ordered family work

Custody evaluators, parenting coordinators, and reunification specialists

Guardians ad Litem, Minor's Counsel, and child representatives

Family law attorneys building cases that involve psychological abuse

Court-appointed psychologists and forensic professionals

Send Me the Checklist