We’re seeing an increase in emotional abuse during the lockdown and are worried about the damage it’s causing children.
We want to raise awareness of parental alienation to ensure it’s recognised, so youngsters at home under COVID-19 restrictions are less vulnerable to it.
What is parental alienation?
If, following divorce or separation, a child, for no good reason, rejects one of their parents as a result of the influence, either conscious or subconscious, of the other parent, this is parental alienation. It is a form of emotional abuse. We want people to understand that this isn’t acceptable behaviour. They need to recognise the damage this could be doing to their child before they are fully alienated.
We currently have a number of parents who are not seeing their children. We also have some children who were already vulnerable from parental alienation. If left to continue long-term, it can cause severe emotional harm to a child. This can be difficult to repair. It can have significant impact potentially on their coping mechanisms, behaviour, educational achievements, development and emotional and mental health for the rest of their lives.
Restrictions under lockdown
The Government has said that children under 18-years-old are able to move between separated parents during the current restrictions. However, each parent needs to undertake an assessment of the risks involved. If it is not safe for the other parent to care for the children, then the court will expect alternative contact arrangements to be made. However, we’re hearing about cases where parents are being opportunistic in the lockdown and stopping the other mum or dad from seeing their children.
The English legal system is only just starting to get to grips with the concept of parental alienation. We’d rather it didn’t reach the court and could be resolved before this. This would reduce the damage it can cause between parents and children.
Once parental alienation is recognised
With time, parental alienation can lead to a child falsely accusing the rejected parent of harming them. It results in the child becoming psychologically ‘split’. This is when they perceive one parent is all good and the other all bad.
These are some of the most difficult cases around and they need careful and sensitive handling. Parents need the right expert advice and assistance from barristers, but also other professionals.
While parental alienation is now being recognised and understood in our legal system, it’s just the beginning. Even identifying a child’s behaviour as parental alienation can be an uphill struggle. It is key to tackle it early with the right legal and professional input.
We are warning separating or divorcing parents in the middle of a dispute over their children, that it may be difficult to see what is happening.
Once parental alienation is recognised, you then have to convince the judge on the right course of action to help your child. You also probably have to convince a Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) officer and the other parent too.
Your child will probably require professional help to assist them with processing and understanding the alienation. Using the wrong professionals for your child can worsen the alienation. You therefore need expert legal advice on how to address this issue.
We advise and represent parents in cases of parental alienation. We can help convince other professionals and the judge what is happening to your child and how to try to resolve it. Please get in touch with us for more information.