Who may not conduct custody evaluations according to Florida laws?

In Florida, a treating psychologist may not conduct custody evaluations due to potential conflicts of interest. A treating psychologist has a therapeutic relationship with the client, which can bias their objectivity when assessing the best interests of the child in custody cases. The primary role of a treating psychologist is to provide therapy and support to their clients, which could influence their perspective during an evaluation.

In contrast, a guardian ad litem, family law attorney, or child psychologist can serve different roles that do not compromise objectivity in custody evaluations. For example, a guardian ad litem is specifically appointed to represent the best interests of the child and is trained to provide impartial evaluations. A family law attorney focuses on legal representation and does not engage in the evaluative process directly, while a child psychologist, if not serving as the treating provider for one of the parties, can provide evaluations based on their expertise in child development and psychology without the bias that affects a treating relationship.