You may not have heard of parental alienation, however, it is increasingly being recognised in this country. It is when, following divorce or separation, a child, for no good reason, rejects one of their parents.
This is due to the influence, either conscious or subconscious, of the other parent.
It is emotional abuse.
Over time it can lead to a child falsely accusing the rejected parent of harming them.
It results in the child becoming psychologically ‘split’, i.e. one parent is all good, the other all bad.
It is often expressed in extreme language: “I hate him/her”, “I’ll kill myself if I have to see my dad/mum.”
If you are in the midst of a dispute over your child, it can be difficult to see what is happening.
Parental alienation may be happening in front of your eyes, but you are struggling to see it.
You may see some of the warning signs in your child, but not realise their significance.
The key with parental alienation is to tackle it early with the right legal and therapeutic input.
If left to continue over the long-term, it can cause severe emotional harm to your child. This can be difficult to repair.
The legal system in this country is only starting to get to grips with parental alienation. Many Judges and legal professionals do not fully understand it.
You may well find in court proceedings, or perhaps dealing with the other parent’s solicitor, or barrister, that you face a lack of knowledge, or even opposition when raising the issue of parental alienation.
We can advise and represent parents in cases of parental alienation.
We can carefully guide you through the legal system, or out of court procedures, to help you and your child.