How testing a child for exposure can change the outcome in family courts.

Best practice – How do we test children?

FTS takes the firm view that simply using the procedures used to test adults is not appropriate and can cause unnecessary distress to the child and lead to the inaccurate reporting of results. We have spent a great deal of time perfecting our processes and believe that using our unique model of best practice is the only appropriate way to test a child.

Step 1
Our Customer Service Team, will guide you through the range of testing available and ensure that our instructing solicitors and/or social workers will receive a quote that is fit for purpose and provides true value for money.

Step 2
We have a specialist team of Forensic Investigation Officers, who have received additional training in how to collect a sample from a child. We acknowledge and appreciate that every child collection is different. Our Forensic Investigation Officers have no time pressures in dealing with these collections and the child and carer will be given as much time and support as is needed.

Step 3
In addition, a detailed fact-finding exercise takes place prior to the collection, so that all relevant information is obtained from the child’s carer and/or social worker. This includes us obtaining all of the relevant information that could influence our interpretation of the results. This fact-finding exercise can take up to 45 minutes. Again, we appreciate that these collections are often undertaken in difficult and distressing circumstances for family members. However, the importance of this information cannot be under-estimated and helps to ensure that our experts are able to give a detailed opinion.

Step 4
Once the sample is received by our Laboratory, it is interpreted by our specially trained reporting scientist. At FTS, we look at all influencing factors and do not simply consider the results alongside the Society of Hair Testing’s cut-offs. It should be noted that simply using the Society of Hair Testing Cut-off can lead to an incorrect opinion, as they are the same cut-offs used for the consideration of results in adults. There are no specific cut-offs for children, despite the obvious differences in body size and how substances are metabolised by children.