Evaluating parenting skills in a judiciary context remains a complex task. The information obtained from self-report questionnaires, or other similar tests, has limited value, due to the parents’ habit to mask their problems, or to the presence of primitive defense mechanisms triggered by the judiciary context, or by personality disorders. To deal with this situation, social and health services should have enough time, on the one hand to evaluate the clinical data and the information given by other agencies working with the family, and on the other to be able to engage in an authentic relationship with the family. The primary goal of evaluation is to identify the problematic features of the parents, but also their strengths, in order to support parenthood and ensure, as far as possible, the minor’s right to live in his family.
Keywords: Parenthood, objectivity, therapeutic alliance, protection of minors, court.