Psychologist letters in family court cases in France: what you can write, with templates

In France, a psychologist's letter in a separation case is a dated, signed document (a confirmation of ongoing care or a progress report) that one parent files with the family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales, or JAF), who decides where the child lives and on parental authority. It is neither an expert assessment nor a witness statement. It only covers what the psychologist has observed with the people they have actually met.

Why this letter calls for particular care

In both CNCDP opinions issued in 2024 and 2025 on family court cases, one parent comes alone with the child, gets a letter repeating their version of events, and the other parent discovers it in the proceedings. For an ordinary confirmation of care, see our article on confirmation of ongoing care. For police or prosecutor requests, see police requests for psychologist records.

What the texts say

The French code of ethics for psychologists (2021 version)

Quotations below are our translations of the French text.

• Article 5: "In all circumstances, the psychologist shows restraint, discernment and impartiality."
• Article 11 (minors): the psychologist "seeks the authorisation of the legal representatives in accordance with the rules on parental authority".
• Article 13: "An assessment of people can only be carried out if the psychologist has met them in person." In some situations the text only allows "a careful and well-founded opinion", "without it having the value of an assessment".
• Article 15: when passed to a third party, conclusions include the underlying psychological material only if necessary, and "the agreement of the person concerned or their prior information is required".
• Article 18: every document is dated and shows identity, title, registration number on the official registers, professional contact details, signature, recipient and purpose.
• Principle 3: the psychologist takes into account how third parties might use their letters.

Parental authority

According to service-public.fr, the official French government information site, parents normally exercise parental authority jointly, and separation does not change this. For an everyday act, such as "one-off sessions with a psychologist", a parent acting alone with a third party is presumed to have the other's agreement. Non-everyday acts require both parents' agreement. The CNCDP classes psychotherapy and psychological assessment as non-everyday acts, and considers that the consent of the holders of parental authority is not mandatory for one-off meetings (opinion 2012-07, issued under the previous code). We recommend asking for a copy of the latest court decision, to know who holds parental authority.

The judge, expert assessment and social inquiry

To decide where the child lives, the judge can consider the results of any expert assessment and the findings of any social inquiry (service-public.fr). The psychologist treating the child is not that expert. If a parent wants parenting capacity assessed, we recommend referring them to their lawyer, who can ask the judge.

Confirmation, report, expert assessment, witness statement: four different documents

• Confirmation of ongoing care: confirms that care exists (start date, frequency, number of sessions), with no clinical content. Given to the person in care or their legal representatives.
• Progress report: describes the work done and your observations about the person you saw. For a child, addressed to both holders of parental authority, either of whom may file it in court.
• Court-ordered expert assessment: ordered by the judge and entrusted to an expert who answers the questions set by the judge. Not the treating psychologist's role.
• Witness statement (official CERFA form): a private individual's account of facts they saw or heard. According to service-public.fr, a person bound by professional secrecy cannot write a witness statement in the course of their profession, and a statement containing false facts is punishable by one year in prison and a 15,000 euro fine (the page refers to article 441-7 of the French Criminal Code). In opinion 2024-12, the CNCDP considers that the psychologist who used this form departed from his role as a psychologist.

What the CNCDP criticised in recent family court cases

Opinion 2024-12 (30 July 2024). The psychologist treating the father observes the two-year-old child with him, without the mother. A year later, when the father goes to the family court, he writes letters that describe the personality of a mother he never met and give a view on residence. The committee finds a lack of discernment, for want of distance from the patient, and a partial stance.

Opinion 2024-34 (issued 28 March 2025). A psychologist sees a child under three once, with the father, shortly before a hearing according to the mother's lawyer. The committee does not find incompetence. It considers it would have been preferable to inform the mother and send her the letter, "to maintain a professional position of neutrality towards each parent", to state the recipient and purpose, and not to link the child's difficulties to stays with the mother by repeating the father's account uncritically.

What you can write

• The setting (first session, frequency, number of sessions), who you met and who you did not meet.
• Observations about the person you saw, phrased as observations ("during sessions, Léa was able to...") and not as causes.
• Reported statements, if useful to the child, clearly attributed ("according to the mother").

What we advise against writing

• An assessment of a parent you have not seen, even "based on the information reported".
• A causal link between a child's difficulties and one parent, or time spent with them.
• A recommendation on residence or contact, which is for the judge.
• Detailed session content beyond what is necessary (article 15).
• Diagnostic vocabulary used as an argument ("coercive control", "alienation", "narcissistic") without an assessment to support it.

Three ready-to-copy templates

Replace the brackets. These templates follow article 18 and the CNCDP recommendations. More templates are gathered in our clinical document templates.

Template 1: neutral confirmation of care (child in care, given to the requesting parent)

[First name SURNAME], psychologist, RPPS number [number], [practice address], [phone, email].

Confirmation of psychological care

Recipients: Mr [SURNAME] and Ms [SURNAME], holders of parental authority for [child's first name and SURNAME], born [date].

Purpose: to confirm that psychological care is in place.

I, the undersigned [First name SURNAME], psychologist, confirm that I have been seeing [child's first name] since [date of first session], [weekly / fortnightly], [number] sessions to date. The child was accompanied by [their mother / their father / both parents] at sessions.

This letter contains no assessment of the child or of the parents. It is issued at the request of [Mr / Ms SURNAME] and copied to [the other parent].

[Town], [date]. Signature.

Variant if you see an adult (the parent themselves): "confirm that I have been seeing Mr / Ms [SURNAME] since [date], [frequency], [number] sessions to date. I have not met their children or the children's other parent and express no view about them."

Template 2: progress report to both holders of parental authority

[Full header as in template 1]

Psychological care progress report

Recipients: Mr [SURNAME] and Ms [SURNAME], holders of parental authority for [First name SURNAME], born [date]. The same document is sent to each.

Purpose: to inform the parents about the work undertaken with their child.

• Setting: first session on [date], [number] sessions, [frequency]. People met: [list]. People not met: [list].
• Initial request: made by [who], about [general reason, with no presumed cause].
• Observations: [two to four sentences on what you observed in the child, as dated observations].
• Next steps: [continue, end, referral].
• Limits: this report covers the child's care. It is neither an expert assessment nor an assessment of parenting capacity, and contains no view on where the child should live.

[Town], [date]. Signature.

Template 3: reasoned refusal letter

[Full header]

Recipient: Mr / Ms [SURNAME]. Re: your request for a letter dated [date].

Dear Mr / Ms [SURNAME],

You asked me for a letter for the family court judge describing [the other parent's behaviour / the effects on your child of stays with the other parent].

I am unable to write this letter. The code of ethics for psychologists does not allow me to assess a person I have not met, and requires me to remain impartial between both parents. Such a letter would not serve [first name]'s interests and could undermine the work we have started.

I can, however, give you a letter confirming the dates and frequency of sessions, which will be copied to [the other parent]. If you feel the family situation needs assessing, your lawyer can ask the judge to order an expert assessment or a social inquiry.

[Town], [date]. Signature.

Fully completed fictional example (template 2)

Claire MARTIN, psychologist, RPPS no. 00000000000 (fictional), 12 rue des Lilas, 69000 Lyon, 04 00 00 00 00, contact@example.fr.

Psychological care progress report

Recipients: Mr Paul DURAND and Ms Sophie LEROY, holders of parental authority for Léa DURAND, born 3 March 2017. The same document is sent to each.

Purpose: to inform the parents about the work undertaken with their child.

• Setting: first session on 15 January 2026, ten sessions to date, fortnightly. People met: Léa, her mother (three sessions), her father (two sessions). Both parents gave written consent to the care.
• Initial request: made by the mother, with the father's agreement, about difficulty falling asleep and crying when moving between homes.
• Observations: Léa engages well in sessions and readily uses drawing. She expresses worry at the moments of transition between her two homes. Both parents report improved sleep since March. I see nothing at this stage that calls for a specialist referral.
• Next steps: continue monthly until June, with a joint session with both parents if each agrees.
• Limits: this report covers Léa's care. It is neither an expert assessment nor an assessment of parenting capacity, and contains no view on where the child should live.

Lyon, 2 May 2026. Signature.

Nothing about "since she started going to her father's", nothing about either parent's mood, no recommendation on weekends. For the session notes behind such a report, see our child and adolescent session note template and parent guidance session note template.

Checklist before handing over the letter

• I have checked who holds parental authority (court decision).
• The letter shows everything article 18 requires.
• Every sentence concerns someone I have met, or states clearly that I have not met them.
• I included only what is necessary (article 15), and the person concerned knows it.
• Both parents will receive the same document.
• If the letter is written long after the sessions, it says so and gives their dates.
• I could stand by the letter in front of the absent parent.
• A dated copy is kept on file (see also patient access to therapy notes).

Why Delta fits this situation

A sound letter rests on precise notes (who was present, on what date, what was observed). Delta keeps a memory of each patient, tells voices apart in sessions with parents and brings the whole course of care together in one place. It also drafts confirmations and letters suited to psychologists, in your own vocabulary and structure, with data hosted in France by an HDS-certified host. You review, you sign.

Sources

• French code of ethics for psychologists, 2021 version (articles 5, 11, 13, 15, 18 and principle 3), in French.
• CNCDP, opinion 2024-12 (30 July 2024) and opinion 2024-34 (28 March 2025), letters filed with the family court judge, in French.
• Service-public.fr, giving evidence in a civil case (who cannot give one, penalty for false facts).
• Service-public.fr, parental authority (everyday and non-everyday acts).
• CNCDP, opinion 2012-07 (published 2014), parental consent, in French.