Our Mission and Values

1. Cultural Competence and Inclusivity
   We acknowledge the significance of race, ethnicity, and cultural heritage in shaping mental health (Williams & Collins, 2016). By adopting multicultural guidelines from the American Psychological Association (APA, 2017), we ensure assessments reflect each client’s unique background and intersectional identity.
2. Integrity and Professional Standards
   As BPS- and HCPC-registered practitioners, we adhere to ethical frameworks set out by the British Psychological Society (BPS, 2018) and uphold strict confidentiality. This ensures impartial, legally defensible findings.
3. Equity and Fair Access
   Guided by the Equality Act 2010, we provide non-discriminatory services for individuals from marginalised backgrounds. Our expert witness testimonies highlight systemic barriers affecting Black and minority ethnic communities, promoting fair representation.
4. Evidence-Based Practice
   Our methods align with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines (NICE, 2020) and current clinical research, ensuring our psychological evaluations meet the highest professional standards and withstand legal scrutiny.

Our Services

1. Medicolegal Psychological Assessments

• Personal Injury and Trauma
  We deliver detailed evaluations for personal injury cases, recognising how cultural identity, racial trauma, and community factors influence mental health (Fernando, 2010). Our comprehensive approach ensures accurate diagnoses and clear prognoses for legal proceedings.
• Immigration and Asylum Cases
  Our immigration assessments and asylum case evaluations examine the psychological impact of displacement, persecution, and systemic challenges (Silove et al., 2017). We produce in-depth reports incorporating culturally nuanced perspectives on mental health and adaptation.
• Forensic and Criminal Proceedings
  We specialise in forensic psychological assessments for clients in the criminal justice system. By examining risk factors, mental state, and contextual elements through a cross-cultural lens, we offer objective insights to courts and tribunals.
• Neurodevelopmental and Specific Learning Difficulties
  Our team assesses ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia, emphasising cultural considerations and linguistic factors. This approach is crucial in medicolegal contexts, where these conditions may significantly impact legal outcomes, education, and occupational functioning (Snowling & Melby-Lervåg, 2016).

2. Expert Witness Services

We provide expert witness testimony for courts, tribunals, and solicitors throughout the UK. Our HCPC-registered psychologists offer unbiased, well-researched opinions that clarify clients’ mental health and cognitive aspects (BPS, 2018). By integrating cultural competence into every report, we enhance the legal system’s understanding of individuals from BME communities.

3. Consultation and Training

Sankofa Exchange Ltd provides bespoke consultation and training sessions for law firms, charities, healthcare providers, and community organisations. Our programmes cover:

• Culturally Responsive Assessment Practices
• Recognising and Addressing Racial Trauma
• Best Practices for Assessing Neurodevelopmental Conditions in Diverse Populations

These interactive seminars help professionals improve cultural competence and inclusivity in daily practice.

Our Approach

At Sankofa Exchange Ltd, we merge clinical expertise, legal knowledge, and community insights to deliver thorough, holistic psychological assessments. Acknowledging that racial discrimination and social inequalities can shape mental health outcomes (Williams & Collins, 2016), our approach ensures the following:

1. Holistic Evaluation
   We draw on standardised assessment tools, clinical interviews, and collateral information from family or community members to create a complete profile of each client.
2. Culturally Adapted Frameworks
   When assessing ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia, we adapt mainstream evaluation techniques to account for cultural norms, language considerations, and educational histories (Snowling & Melby-Lervåg, 2016).
3. Collaboration and Empathy
   We work closely with barristers, solicitors, caseworkers, and healthcare professionals to ensure each assessment is accurate, objective, and contextually informed. Our goal is to guide legal decisions that reflect true psychological states and cultural realities.

Why Choose Sankofa Exchange Ltd?

1. Specialised Expertise in BME Communities
   Our psychologists possess years of experience supporting Black and minority ethnic clients in clinical, forensic, and educational settings. We understand how cultural identity, migration history, and language proficiency may affect mental health and legal processes.
2. High Professional Standards
   As HCPC-registered and BPS-accredited experts, we strictly follow ethical guidelines, clinical best practices, and NICE recommendations (BPS, 2018; NICE, 2020). This dedication to quality safeguards the credibility of our legal reports and testimonies.
3. Committed to Social Justice
   Sankofa Exchange Ltd advocates for health equity, fair representation, and inclusivity. Through research, community engagement, and policy advocacy, we challenge systemic biases to improve mental health outcomes for marginalised groups.

Meet Our Team

Sankofa Exchange Ltd is led by Dr Bernard Horsford, an HCPC-registered psychologist with extensive experience providing medicolegal reports and expert witness evidence. Dr Horsford oversees a multidisciplinary group of clinical, forensic, and educational psychologists who share a commitment to cultural competence and social justice.

Through ongoing professional development, peer-reviewed research, and collaborative case reviews, we remain at the forefront of culturally informed psychological assessments for ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, personal injury claims, immigration and asylum cases, and more.

Contact Us

To learn more about our culturally responsive medicolegal assessments or to schedule an expert witness consultation, please get in touch:

At Sankofa Exchange Ltd, we are committed to delivering comprehensive, evidence-based, and empathetic psychological services that address the complex needs of BME communities and beyond.