Early Development, Attachment, and Impact on Custody Evaluations

FREE 1 hour CLE/CEU

Description:

Separation during a child’s first five years presents unique developmental and attachment-related risks that differ significantly from later childhood separations. High conflict, limited co-parenting history, and unstructured parenting plans can destabilize caregiving precisely when children most require predictability and secure attachment. This interactive virtual session examines how attachment-informed assessment and thoughtful parenting-plan design can reduce conflict exposure, protect early bonds, and limit chronic litigation. 

Learning Objectives:

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to: 

1. Identify key attachment vulnerabilities and developmental risks in children ages 0–5 during parental separation. 

2. Apply attachment-informed observations to develop structured parenting plans that reduce conflict and promote caregiving stability. 

Workshop Timeline & Topics 

1:00 pm - Framing the Issue, Attachment & Early Development Basics 

• Why separation in the first five years is qualitatively different 

• Overview of developmental and attachment sensitivities 

• Secure vs. disrupted attachment in ages 0–5 

• Impact of chronic conflict, transitions, and disrupted routines 

1:15 pm - High-Conflict Dynamics in Early Separation 

• How unstructured shared parenting escalates conflict 

• Loyalty binds, caregiver competition, and litigation cycles 

1:25 pm - Attachment-Focused Observation & Assessment 

• What professionals can realistically observe 

• Integrating observations with collateral data 

• Common pitfalls and interpretation limits 

1:40 pm -  Parenting Plan Design: From Theory to Practice 

• Structuring schedules to protect routines and reduce hand-offs 

• Decision-making clarity and conflict containment 

• Case examples illustrating effective plan design 

1:55 pm - Key Takeaways & Practical Application 

• Core principles for protecting early attachment 

• How structured plans reduce re-litigation and court burden 

Speakers:

Molly A. May, MSW, LISW-S is a Licensed Independent Social Worker–Supervisor in Ohio with experience in domestic court–involved family systems, early childhood mental health, and high-conflict custody matters. She serves as a Parenting Coordinator, Custody and Parenting-Plan Evaluator, Mediator, and Therapist with Niesen Resolution Services, where her work focuses on complex post-decree disputes, parent–child contact issues, and the developmental needs of infants and young children involved in litigation. Ms. May brings specialized training and clinical experience in attachment theory, traumainformed care, and early childhood development, with particular expertise in children ages 0–6. Prior to her court-focused work, she served on interdisciplinary teams at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, including Early Childhood Mental Health and the Center for Family Safety and Healing, supporting young children exposed to trauma, maltreatment, and family instability. In her court-related roles, Ms. May integrates developmental science, attachment research, and empirical observation into parenting-plan recommendations, custody evaluations, and expert consultation. Her work emphasizes translating complex psychological research into legally relevant, child-centered analysis for judges, attorneys, guardians ad litem, and allied professionals. She is often retained in cases involving allegations of abuse, disrupted attachment relationships, caregiver conflict, and high-risk transitions during early childhood. Ms. May regularly contributes to professional education on the intersection of attachment, early brain development, and family-court decision-making, presenting to legal and mental-health audiences on attachment-informed parenting plans and high-conflict family dynamics. Her practice is grounded in evidence-based standards and informed by established ethical and professional guidelines in both mental health and family law. 

Judge Randall D. Fuller, Judge Randall Fuller took office in 2017 as the first Judge of the newly unified Common Pleas Court of Delaware County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division. Judge Fuller is the President of the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges.  He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College and on the Executive Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference.  He serves on several Ohio Judicial Conference committees including Domestic Relations Law and Procedure, Legislative, and the Judicial Advisory Group (JAG).  He is the chair of the Supreme Court’s Family Law Reform Implementation subcommittee of the Ohio Advisory Committee on Children and Families and a frequent lecturer for the Judicial College and at training programs for new judges. Judge Fuller is a past-president and current member of the Board of Directors of the Ohio Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the international AFCC organization.

Fuller, a native of Delaware County, graduated from The Ohio State University and the University of Toledo, College of Law. He began his second term as the Delaware County Domestic Relations Judge in January 2023. 

Magistrate Larry G. McQuain, Larry McQuain serves as the Court Administrator for Judge Randall Fuller at the Common Pleas Court of Delaware County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division.  He has been appointed to the bench as a Magistrate in the Delaware County Domestic Relations Division, having previously served in this capacity in the Franklin County Domestic and Juvenile Courts.  He serves as a neutral evaluator in the Delaware County Domestic Relations Court’s Neutral Evaluation Program.  Previously, Mr. McQuain practiced law in the private sector and has served as Guardian ad litem representing children’s best interests.   

Mr. McQuain is a seasoned Administrator with experience as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Franklin County Auditor’s Office and former Director of Real Estate and Mediation.  While at the Auditor’s office, he spearheaded several initiatives including development of a mediation program on property valuation disputes, which was the first in the State of Ohio under Auditor Clarence Mingo.  He also was heavily involved in creating an Employee Recognition Program for the office.   

He is the president of the Ohio Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), and a member of the Ohio Association for Court Administration (OACA), the Delaware County Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and Columbus Bar Association.  He is also a travel baseball coach and proud father of two amazing children, Ryan and Logan.