Medico-legal evaluation may be necessary where young people have been physically, sexually or emotionally abused. In these cases, both the young person, the victim, as well as the perpetrator/s of the abuse, are assessed by psychologists. Our expert testimony and evidence is provided to the court, which, together with other information, is used to decide on the necessary treatment, management and legal consequences of each specific case.

We also provide psychological profiling of underage legal offenders - regarding theft, violence, murder or drug-related offences, for example. The information psychologists provide as expert witnesses assists the court in both their legal proceedings, and in making rehabilitation-related decisions in the young person’s best interests, while also taking the needs of society into consideration.

Dr. Tunbridge received specialist training in both Canada and South Africa in the evaluation of child and youth forensic concerns; specifically, in child and youth psychopathology in Canada (Child & Youth Mental Health Services (Outpatient Clinic), 2002), and in child abuse - sexual, physical and emotional - through the University of the Western Cape (1996). He also worked with youth offenders and their families through the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver in Canada (2004/5). He provides youth offender profiling, as well as treatment planning and recommendation.

Dr. Tunbridge has worked extensively with child abuse in clinical practice and can assess young victims for harm and treatment planning, as well as their family circumstances, and their adult offenders.

Many of our associates are also specialists in forensic assessment, providing services for both young people as well as adults.

Forensic and psycho-legal work is usually requested by a legal practitioner or by the court to evaluate an accused in a criminal matter. Grounds for referral are usually as a result of evidence that suggests that the accused’s criminal capacity at the time of the offence may have been affected by mental illness or defect, or factors regarding the defendant’s mental state in court.

Psycho-legal reports with regards to criminal cases have the following functions:

• To assist the court in determining the mental state of a defendant, and to determine whether an individual is fit or unfit to stand trial; 
• Determining criminal capacity – Is the individual able to appreciate the wrongfulness of their actions and are they able to act in accordance with this appreciation?
• Providing the court with presentencing evaluation regarding the accused as measures of aggravation or mitigation in their case.

Focusing on the harm done to victims. After victimisation, the victim might have different needs to restore the physical, psychological and financial harm that was done to them and also to restore their image of themselves and the world around them. Physical and psychological treatment might be needed to heal and to deal with mental health problems.

During divorce disputes, a psychologist can play an important role in the evaluation of families. The psycho-legal report aids the family advocate and the court by making recommendations regarding residence, care, contact and maintenance. Here, focus is placed on the best interests of the child and the various factors influencing their relationships with their caregivers. The psycho-legal evaluation includes the scientific evaluation of the relevant family members, their behaviour, their roles, functioning and interaction.

Psycho-legal reports with regard to family cases include the following:

• care and contact disputes,
• guardianship disputes,
• parental alienation,
• abduction during divorce,
• parenting plans,
• re-integration therapy,
• surrogacy assessments,
• allegations of sexual abuse in care and contact disputes.