Psychologist who misled court about qualifications may have gone beyond remit in seven other cases | Family law

A psychologist who was discovered to have misled the household court docket about his {qualifications} had beforehand given professional proof in at the least seven different instances by which he could have been appearing exterior his remit.Graham Flatman, an academic psychologist based mostly in Kent, was suspended for six months by the regulator for taking work as a “medical psychologist” and finishing up an evaluation he was not certified to make.Now an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) has recognized a string of additional instances by which he could have acted past his remit.Flatman is simply educated to evaluate the tutorial wants of kids and younger folks as much as the age of 25 who’ve studying difficulties – whereas medical psychologists can look at folks of all ages for a variety of issues.In 2018 he wrote a wide-ranging report on a susceptible mom as a part of household court docket proceedings. She later complained to the regulator.The Well being and Care Professions Council (HCPC) stated Flatman “misled [the woman] and the court docket” and that his “misconduct introduced the occupation into disrepute and had the potential to hurt [the mother]”.At a disciplinary listening to in April final 12 months, Flatman stated he had been instructed as a psychologist with related expertise. He stated he had by no means been particularly instructed as an academic psychologist within the household courts regardless of having offered professional proof in “round 1,680” household instances.TBIJ has examined seven additional instances by which he gave professional proof between 2013 and 2024 and located that in all these instances he could have acted exterior his skilled remit by assessing folks for a spread of non-educational points.Miriam Silver, a advisor medical psychologist who co-authored steerage on using psychologists within the household courts, stated: “It’s deeply regarding that somebody who could have been appearing exterior of their subject of competence was capable of give proof in such a doubtlessly large variety of court docket instances.“The position of the psychologist as an professional witness may be very influential within the household courts, and while the choose will weigh up all of the proof to tell their resolution and should typically disregard our suggestions, typically they offer numerous weight to our opinions.”In a single case, Flatman’s conclusions led to him being criticised by two court docket of enchantment judges after he did not conduct the correct authorized take a look at to determine if a susceptible mom may perceive proceedings concerning the future care of her daughter – though they famous the case would have had the identical end result.Flatman’s six-month suspension was lifted in October. The panel famous he was now not working within the courts. Nevertheless, he stays registered with the HCPC and the watchdog can not stop him from making court docket assessments sooner or later.In an announcement, Flatman stated he had labored as an professional witness in household courts since 1997. He didn’t reply when requested what number of assessments he had undertaken on adults in whole.“I’ve by no means offered myself as a medical psychologist,” he stated. “With each report, I precisely included my skilled {qualifications} and expertise as an academic psychologist.”Flatman stated he instantly stopped his household court docket work after the HCPC’s findings and took the suspension “very severely”.Within the case that led to his disciplinary motion, Flatman performed exams on the lady that the panel stated went past the boundaries of his expertise, data and expertise.Flatman advised the panel he had been appearing as an professional within the household courts since about 1997. It didn’t look at what number of different adults he had assessed throughout this time however warned that his actions may discredit his proof in different instances.Not one of the revealed judgments of the seven instances recognized by TBIJ appropriately check with Flatman as an academic psychologist. Judges as an alternative describe him as a “very skilled psychologist”, “a baby and household psychologist” and a “psychologist”.Silver stated: “It’s incumbent on the professional to be very clear about their {qualifications} and areas of experience, and to appropriate any errors made about their title or scope of data.”The instances uncovered by TBIJ present that Flatman’s opinions knowledgeable selections that had a profound influence on the lives of these concerned. He produced psychological reviews on the power of three moms to care for his or her kids, who had been all subsequently faraway from their care.The HCPC took no additional motion after his suspension expired as he had taken steps to handle his misconduct, which included now not enterprise professional witness work.Flatman advised the regulator he “totally acknowledged the danger of hurt related together with his misconduct” and promised to remain throughout the conventional scope of an academic psychologist.The HCPC stated Flatman had demonstrated a excessive degree of perception and it was “extremely unlikely his conduct could be repeated”.