This episode delves into the importance and intricacies of creating a chronological list of events in a child's life. Michael emphasises the significance of a well-constructed chronology in providing a clear understanding of a family's history and dynamics. The episode discusses the role of a social worker in highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of parenting, using the chronology as a tool to support evidence and arguments. It also explores how different perspectives and biases can influence the interpretation of events documented in a chronology. The episode underscores the impact of past experiences on an individual's present behaviour and identity, emphasising the need to consider significant events such as trauma, loss, and violence in family life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Chronologies are crucial: Chronologies are essential documents that provide a clear picture of a family's history and can help in understanding the events that have occurred over time.

• Balanced view is important: It is important to provide a balanced view in a chronology, highlighting both the weaknesses and strengths of parenting to give a fair representation of the situation.

• Impact of past events: Chronologies help in understanding how past events and experiences shape an individual's present and future, emphasising the significance of events like births, deaths, and illnesses.

• Significance of violent incidents: Violent incidents between adults, especially when witnessed by children, should be carefully documented in a chronology to understand their impact and the response of parents.

• Importance of social care response: A good chronology not only focuses on the actions of parents but also highlights the behaviour of social care agencies and their impact on the child's lived experience.

BEST MOMENTS

"A chronology can be defined as a sequential list of events with dates recording any significant facts and changes in a child's life."

"History, for example, is written from the focus of the values and beliefs of the person who wrote it."

"Chronologies are really useful tools in helping to look at a child's lived experience because they can show what a child has been exposed to dating as far back into their life as their first few weeks of life."

"Many people still today tend to think of the past as not having any impact on who they are now."

"One of the things that chronology is very useful at bringing to light is the response by social care."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

familycourtcoaching@gmail.com

Instagram: michael240656

HOST BIO

Michael Watson is a qualified social worker and author with over thirty years of experience working with children and families. As an expert in family court, Michael is in a key position to assist, advise, and coach parents through their private law family proceedings and provide them with the information and skills to represent themselves successfully in court. His two books, ‘How to Represent Yourself in Family Court’, and ‘FAMILY COURT: Giving Evidence In Family Court’, provide parents with a clearer understanding of family court proceedings, legislation, and parenting skills.

This episode delves into the concept of assessing and managing risks in various aspects of life, using the analogy of crossing a busy road without a pedestrian crossing. The episode highlights how individuals often underestimate risks due to factors they cannot see or control, drawing parallels to parents who may pose risks to their children. It discusses the importance of considering factors such as a parent's history, level of insight, and support networks in determining the potential harm a child may face.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Risk assessment is crucial in everyday situations, such as crossing a road, as unseen factors can significantly increase the level of risk.

• Parents with a history of adverse childhood experiences may pose a higher risk to their children due to normalised harmful behaviours.

• Lack of insight and denial of personal issues can lead parents to expose their children to considerable harm.

• Identifying and evaluating a parent's strengths, such as a strong attachment to their child or a supportive network, is essential in assessing the risks they pose.

• Balancing a parent's weaknesses and strengths, along with considering hidden or unknown factors, is necessary to determine the level of risk a child may face.

BEST MOMENTS

"When crossing a road, there are vehicles you can see and vehicles or situations you cannot. You cannot accurately take into account things you cannot see or quantify."

"Parents who pose a major risk of harm to their children are often not in full control of themselves and tend to be in denial concerning the extent of their problems."

"One of the first matters to consider when attempting to analyse the risks posed by a parent is their history."

"If parents do not recognise that they have shortcomings in certain areas, they are then poorly motivated to make changes in their life to address this shortcoming."

"Balancing their overall weaknesses and strengths contributing to a child's care is a task that needs to be carefully and thoroughly considered."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

familycourtcoaching@gmail.com

Instagram: michael240656

HOST BIO

Michael Watson is a qualified social worker and author with over thirty years of experience working with children and families. As an expert in family court, Michael is in a key position to assist, advise, and coach parents through their private law family proceedings and provide them with the information and skills to represent themselves successfully in court. His two books, ‘How to Represent Yourself in Family Court’, and ‘FAMILY COURT: Giving Evidence In Family Court’, provide parents with a clearer understanding of family court proceedings, legislation, and parenting skills.

This episode delves into the challenges individuals face when giving evidence in court, particularly focusing on the daunting experience of being cross-examined. Michael talks about how to manage emotions, listen attentively, and respond effectively to questions while maintaining composure and credibility. The episode underscores the necessity of practising the skills required to present coherent and persuasive evidence in a highly adversarial courtroom environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Giving great evidence in court requires thorough preparation and understanding of the case to be able to speak authoritatively.

• It is crucial to manage and control emotions while in the witness box to maintain composure and credibility.

• Active listening is essential to provide concise and relevant answers to questions asked during cross-examination.

• Displaying poise, balance, and a positive attitude throughout the process can help in delivering persuasive evidence.

• Utilising examples, statistics, and patterns of behaviour can strengthen arguments and clarify points for the court.

BEST MOMENTS

"Many people struggle with giving evidence because they don't understand that the process is designed to be difficult and that the court is, for lay people, an alien environment that no one except legal people feel comfortable with."

"The words conflict and criticism are for me now synonymous with the court. never used to be, but they are now because I have been to court enough times to know, without doubt, that the court is a highly adversarial environment."

"You have to know about and be prepared for angles of attack. Those cross-examining you, and including the judges, are likely to focus on, be critical about, and question you in connection with."

"Controlling emotions is critical to the way you come across and portray yourself in the witness box. You cannot allow anything to hijack your emotions, undermine your belief in yourself, or impair your positive attitude."

"Using percentages or ratios provides the court with a clear mental picture of what has been going on. Above all else display a great attitude consistently regardless of how the barristers may treat you."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

familycourtcoaching@gmail.com

Instagram: michael240656

HOST BIO

Michael Watson is a qualified social worker and author with over thirty years of experience working with children and families. As an expert in family court, Michael is in a key position to assist, advise, and coach parents through their private law family proceedings and provide them with the information and skills to represent themselves successfully in court. His two books, ‘How to Represent Yourself in Family Court’, and ‘FAMILY COURT: Giving Evidence In Family Court’, provide parents with a clearer understanding of family court proceedings, legislation, and parenting skills.