From Dr. Darnell Hayes
47 • Seattle, WA • Child Psychologist • Court-Appointed Evaluator
“Everyone thinks they’re protecting the child. But children don’t need protection from facts. They need protection from confusion.”
I sit across from eight-year-olds who stutter when they talk about Sunday transitions. I read journals from teenagers who track which parent yells more. And I write reports that can decide who lives where and when—sometimes forever.
I don’t take sides. I observe patterns. Missed exchanges. School absences. Emotionally charged voicemails at 2 a.m. These aren’t just case details. They’re evidence of environment—and kids feel all of it.
My biggest challenge? Missing data. Conflicting accounts. Timeline gaps. Attachments emailed the morning of a custody hearing. The courts ask me for clarity, but too often, I’m handed chaos.
Then a parent submitted a Splitifi summary in their intake. I reviewed it—and saw a year of exchanges tracked, messages time-stamped, and a clean calendar that matched school records to behavior shifts.
Since then, I’ve quietly started asking parents: “Have you heard of Splitifi?” Not because it makes them look better. But because it lets me see what’s actually happening.
I’m not here to judge character. I’m here to protect children. And the more clarity I have, the safer their world becomes.
—Dr. Hayes