Blog

Last week, I published an article on Parental Alienation and how children are used as weapons against one parent in divorces and separation. I reposted it on my company Facebook page at the same time. The response was remarkable and people freely told their stories and experiences around the subject and indeed widening it to include other aspects as well.

It is clear that parental alienation is a massive problem and it seems that new perspectives and potential law changes need to be found to stop this hideous form of child abuse; I made the statement in the original article that parental alienation is an attempt to make an “ex-partner an ex-parent”. While this may be true, some of the comments made on Facebook suggest that it spreads further than just dispute between ex partners stretching to whole families or becoming an obsessive act. Below are some further thoughts and resources on the subject. I am writing this article mindful of the fact that due to past documented abuse in some relationships, it is prudent that one parent takes a defensive stand against the other to protect the child.

Recognising and Taking Action:

Many parents faced with parental alienation are at a loss to know what to do next. Confront the offender, call a lawyer or therapist? If it is happening to you or someone you know, it is important to take action to protect your child. The following links contain essential information on just that:

Farzad Family Law, Santa Ana, California

Parents who have become victims of parental alienation often don’t see it coming.  Parental alienation, unlike other forms of abuse, isn’t always clear. You don’t pick up your child and see a parental alienation scar or bruise. Read More

Gene. C. Colman, Family Lawyer, Ontario, Canada

This website offers practical advice on legal and parental issues. Read More

Karen Woodall, Parental Alienation Expert

Karen wrote an article looking at the issue from the child’s point of view.

“The alienated child in recovery, is in a struggle to understand what has happened and why and how it happened”. Read More

Molly S Castelloe, PHD, Psychology Today

“Behavioral Scientist Steve Maraboli describes it as “an emotional act of violence” aimed at an adult, but one that critically wounds a child. Here is an analysis of sixteen cases involving this intrafamilial disorder”. Read More

The Attached Family, Non Profit Organisation

This article outlines practical steps to take if you are an alienated parent. Read More

Change Is Coming To The UK:

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) is running a pilot scheme to bring an end to separated parents poisoning their child against the other parent. Parents who are guilty of manipulating their child in this way may have their child taken away from them and, in the most extreme cases, they may be denied contact. Read More

GAS or Grandparent Alienation Syndrome 

This programming can be carried out by either or both parents. The most prominent group using the term GAS is Alienated Grandparents Anonymous, or AGA, which is based in Florida but has outreach operations in many states. Read More

Parental Alienation IS child Abuse

Parental alienation, like contact denial, is child abuse and alienating parents should be treated accordingly, Fathers4Justice, Read More

General Developmental Effects on Children

In 1996, Kenneth Waldron and David Joan describe the long-term adverse effects that PAS has on child development. They argued that in the PA context children learn that “hostile, obnoxious behaviour is acceptable in relationships and that deceit and manipulation are a normal part of relationships.” Lorandos Joshi, Trial Lawyers. Read More

Parental Alienation Case Studies

This study analysed sixteen cases which appeared to meet Dr. Richard Gardner’s criteria for parental alienation syndrome as set forth in his 1987 book. These cases showed a wide diversity of characteristics but Gardner’s criteria were useful in differentiating these cases from other post-divorce difficulties. Traditional interventions were ineffective in altering the alienation. Read More