Social Investigation
Custody recommendations that are thorough, efficient, and comprehensive, which serve the best interest of the children.
Custody Recommendations
What we do
Navigating child custody cases can be an emotionally and legally complex process. A custody investigator plays a critical role in helping parents, attorneys, and courts gather the facts needed to make informed decisions in the best interest of the child. Our Custody Investigator services in Florida provide thorough, unbiased, and professional investigative support to ensure that all aspects of a child’s living situation, care, and welfare are properly considered. At the end of the investigation, a final report and custody recommendation is provided to the attorneys and court for their consideration.
Kailey Mahan, LMHC
Kailey Mahan is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida, whose career of 10 years has focused exclusively on working with children, teens, and their families. Having seen the difficulty some parents face in deciding custody, she is motivated to take a thorough and balanced approach, with the children’s short and long term wellness as the focus. Her reports advocate for each parent’s rights, provided they have demonstrated the ability to foster a safe environment and reasonably healthy relationships with their children.
Our Custody Investigation Service
Interviews and Assessments:
Interviews with parents, caregivers, teachers, neighbors, and other individuals who can provide insight into the child’s current living situation. In-depth histories on all individuals involved in the custody case, including criminal histories, substance abuse issues, and any previous history of child abuse or neglect. Assessment measures may also be utilized to gather objective data about parental and filial functioning.
Child’s Behavior and Emotional Health:
Critical to the family picture is to obtain detailed assessments of the child’s behavior and emotional state, and observing interactions with both parents and other caregivers. This may include gathering input from professionals such as therapists, school counselors, or medical providers to evaluate the child’s mental and emotional well-being. Documentation will also be collected and reviewed related to the child(ren)’s academic, psychological, and medical functioning
Home Visits and Environment Evaluation:
A thorough assessment of the home environment to determine whether it is a safe, stable, and suitable living situation for the child. This includes evaluating cleanliness, safety, and the presence of any factors that may affect the child’s well-being, such as substance abuse or unsafe living conditions.
Documenting Violations of Custody Orders:
If there are allegations that the other parent is violating a custody order (e.g., failing to comply with visitation schedules or parental responsibilities), our team will explore the recommended course of action to resolve the issue in the best interest of the child(ren).
Expert Testimony and Court Support:
The social investigator will provide a final detailed report to the attorneys to be filed with the court. If subpoenaed, the investigator will then provide testimony in court to explain the findings of the investigation and how they relate to the best interests of the child. We offer clear, objective reports and stand ready to support the child’s interest with credible evidence.
Why Choose Our Custody Investigation Services?
Licensed and Experienced Investigator: Kailey Mahan, LMHC, has specialized in serving children, teens, and families for over 10 years. Degrees in Psychology (2010) and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2015) and a decade of serving children in foster care and dual households, she has a unique ability to understand children’s perspectives. Continuing Education has spanned not only ethics and legal systems, but play and expressive therapies, intimate partner violence, EMDR (trauma), and infant mental health.
Ethical Approach: We understand the importance of privacy, fairness, and parental roles in custody cases. We handle all investigations with the utmost of ethical practices. While confidentiality is not the same in legal matters as when rendering clinical treatment, you can have confidence that the case’s privacy will be maintained to the ethical and moral standards of practice.
Timely, Detailed Reports: Our reports are comprehensive, objective, and prepared in a timely manner to support the legal case. We document our findings clearly and accurately, providing the court and parties with actionable evidence.
What We Do for You
Our goal is to support parents and their legal teams to make informed decisions during custody proceedings. Our investigators gather unbiased, factual information that is critical in demonstrating the best interest of the children in court. Whether you’re seeking sole custody, joint custody, or a modification of an existing custody arrangement, we’re here to provide thorough, reliable investigative support.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation and let our team help you gather the essential evidence for your custody case. Your child’s future deserves thorough attention, and our experienced custody investigators are here to ensure their well-being is protected.
Cost
Understand that a Social Investigation may require many hours to fully obtain the truth of the circumstances. Time is billed at an hourly rate of $300, and a retainer is required up front of $3000. Additional hours spent will be billed at the same rate and communicated in advance. Often times the court’s order or the parties’s agreement will involve the parents splitting these costs evenly. Consult with your attorney if you have questions about splitting the costs with the other parent.
We promise to operate with efficiency even in our thoroughness.