Impact of Familial Violence and Implications for the Legal Process

Dr. Peter Choate's areas of research focus on child protection practice as well as errors linked with the death or serious injury of a child involved with child welfare. His work looks at assessment methodology in child protection, addressing problems of cultural bias, particularly as it relates to Indigenous Peoples. Other recent projects have included the voice of the child in child welfare hearings and the good enough standard for assessing parents. Dr. Choate has been engaged in clinical private counselling and assessment practice with an emphasis on addictions, domestic violence and child protection matters. He has been qualified as an expert witness on over 150 occasions in the Provincial Court of Alberta (Family and Youth Division) in Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Edmonton as well as the Court of Queen’s Bench (Calgary and Medicine Hat). He is a Registered Clinical Social Worker and an approved Clinical Supervisor.