Dr LJ McFarlane

Dr LJ McFarlane is a dual-qualified, Health and Care Professions Council registered clinical and forensic psychologist who has worked in the field of applied psychology since 1999. He has experience of producing reports for Family and Criminal Courts, Local Authorities, Immigration Tribunals and Parole Boards; [at last count this was 459 expert reports]. He has also appeared in Criminal and Family Courts and Parole Boards as an expert witness.

He is currently working for an autism spectrum assessment and intervention team, which is part of a child and adolescent mental health service. His job involves the assessment of children and young people with autism and to provide therapeutic help.

In an earlier post, Dr McFarlane worked in a community child and adolescent mental health service (service users ranged from 5 to 18). The job involved assessment for various mental health and developmental disorders, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, ADHD, and autism. He also provided mental health interventions and consultancy within a Youth Offending Team (YOT). Part of his work with the YOT was the assessment and interventions of young people who are or were involved in ‘County Lines’ & gangs. This role also involved considering issues of risk and vulnerability.

Another former job was within a medium secure unit for adolescents with severe mental health difficulties; the young people had complex mental health diagnoses, such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, severe anxiety and/or depression. All the children had a criminal history and usually had issues relating to trauma.

With respect to my other previous posts as a qualified psychologist, Dr McFarlane has worked for a high-secure NHS hospital, for two prison establishments in HM Prison Service, and for a child protection charity that works to stop child sexual abuse.

Areas of specialism

• Parental Assessment – (including risk assessments, ability to protect a child, prioritise the needs of children)
• Family Dynamics, (including chaotic lifestyle, capacity to change, ability to work with professionals)
• Assessment of Domestic Violence and maladaptive relationships
• Cognitive Functioning (I.Q.) assessment / Learning Disability assessment
• Mental Capacity Assessment
• Adult & Adolescent Mental Health (including Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) / Complex Trauma)
• Personality Assessment – including Personality Disorder and psychopathic traits
• County lines & criminal exploitation / criminal gangs
• Violence Risk Assessment
• Sexualised behaviours / Sexual Risk Assessments – (Adults & Children) – (including Stalking & Cyberstalking behaviours, grooming & inappropriate sexual material / media)

Profession: Psychologist

Courts or Tribunals: Criminal and Offending, Family Court, Immigration and Asylum

Age groups: Adolescent, Adult, Child, Family

Psychological Specialisms: Adult Mental Health Problems, Learning Difficulties, Mental Capacity, Personality Disorder, Trauma and PTSD, Youth Offending

Therapies offered: