Michael Watson is a professionally qualified social worker, and author of two books, with over thirty-three years of experience working with children and families. His work includes being a Children's Guardian for eighteen years and for over twenty years as an Independent social worker. He is an expert in the family court where he assesses parenting, family relationships and the various needs of children.
Due to his personal experiences and unique position as a childcare and parenting expert within the family court, he is in a key position to assist, advise, support and coach parents through their private law family proceedings and provide them with the information and skills to represent themselves successfully at court.
In 2014 he wrote 'How to represent yourself in family court.' The book provides invaluable insight, information, education, support, and guidance to assist parents to navigate their way through the court process. It informs in an honest, open, conversational style, how vital it is for parents to learn the parenting skills they need, not only for court but for the rest of their lives.
In today’s podcast, we focus on a very painful experience early in his career as the result of a child’s death at the hands of her father. Michael shares how he felt trauma from the child’s death, but also how alone and unsupported he felt as the social worker in the case and having to give evidence being a witness in the hostile conflictual, and adversarial court arena. This experience fuels his work today. He has written a second book titled ‘FAMILY COURT: Giving Evidence In Family Court.’ The book identifies how difficult it is to try to compete with advocates and/lawyers and barristers without receiving a considerable amount of support and training centred on giving evidence and managing cross-examination and focuses on the knowledge, skills, insights, strategies, and tips needed to be perceived as a credible witness.
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