Independent assessment services
Family Law Reports
Independent family reports and parental capacity assessments for parents, legal practitioners and other family law professionals.
Services
Assessment services
- Family reports
- Parental capacity assessments
- Parent–child observations
- Child-focused assessments
- File review and collateral consultation
- Professional recommendations
Independent assessment services are kept separate from therapeutic services. A person who receives an independent assessment would not ordinarily receive ongoing therapy from the same practitioner, due to professional role boundaries.
The assessor
Qualifications and experience
Assessments are completed by Luciana Adelida Isla Tursicova, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and registered Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. Luciana holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology), a Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution Practice, a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science in Medicine (Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy), and is currently a Doctor of Arts (Psychology) candidate.
She has worked within the child protection sector since 2015 — including alongside the NSW Police Force within a Joint Child Protection Response Team — and previously held Clinical Manager positions with headspace Beaudesert and headspace Dubbo. Her areas of practice include complex trauma, complex mental health presentations, neurodivergence, family functioning and parental capacity. Full professional history is on the About page, and a current CV can be provided to referrers on request.
The process
How the assessment runs
Initial interviews
A one-hour interview with each parent, heard separately.
Parent–child observations
A one-hour observation of each parent with the child.
Child-only session
A one-hour session with only the child, so their responses cannot be influenced by either parent.
Completed report
The findings are brought together in a written report with professional recommendations.
Practical details
Fees, timeframes and terms
Areas serviced
Gold Coast, Logan, Brisbane and surrounding areas, with interviews held at our Ashmore rooms, in the community or by secure video where appropriate.
Documentation required
Court orders, relevant affidavits or filed material, existing reports or assessments, and a letter of instruction outlining the questions the report should address.
Timeframes
Timeframes are confirmed on engagement and depend on the availability of parties and the completeness of documentation provided.
Fees
Family reports and parental capacity assessments are currently charged at $4,200 plus GST, payable as set out in the fee agreement.
Cancellation terms
A cancellation fee may apply where appointments are cancelled at short notice, as outlined in the fee agreement.
Court attendance
Where court attendance is required, it attracts an additional fee quoted on request.
Make a referral
Request an assessment
Solicitors, parties and professional referrers can request an assessment by sending a brief outline of the matter. An engagement letter and fee agreement will be provided before any work begins.
Take the next step
Ready to talk it through?
Send an enquiry or book an appointment and we will help you identify the most appropriate next step.