Child custody evaluations (CCEs) are often seen as a necessity by the legal system when caregivers cannot find a resolution to their child custody disputes. In many instances, these evaluations are quite costly for the litigants and cost can act as a barrier to equal access to justice. Affluent families are better able to access private evaluators while families with lesser means may encounter delays in receiving services or be unable to afford an evaluation at all. This can, in turn, prolong resolution of league disputes, increasing the emotional toll on families, and hamper courts in making decisions in the best interests of the children involved. This article examines models of providing CCEs outside of an isolated individual provider private practice format. It examines the benefits and considerations for lower-cost evaluations, while discussing how to maintain high quality services that adequately assess family systems. Broader issues that impact the courts and overall access to justice through offering cost effective evaluations are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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具有成本效益的子女抚养权评估模型和方法

当照顾者无法找到解决儿童监护权纠纷的方法时，儿童监护权评估 (CCE) 通常被法律系统视为必要措施。在许多情况下，这些评估对于诉讼当事人来说成本相当高，而且成本可能成为平等诉诸司法的障碍。富裕家庭能够更好地联系私人评估员，而经济能力较差的家庭可能会在接受服务方面遇到延误或根本无法负担评估费用。反过来，这可能会延长联盟纠纷的解决时间，增加家庭的情感负担，并妨碍法院做出符合所涉儿童最佳利益的决定。本文探讨了在孤立的个人提供者私人执业模式之外提供 CCE 的模式。它研究了低成本评估的好处和考虑因素，同时讨论如何维持充分评估家庭系统的高质量服务。还讨论了通过提供具有成本效益的评估影响法院和整体诉诸司法的更广泛问题。