It is the view of the Court that a child should have a relationship with both of their parents where there are no risks to the child or welfare concerns. This is not a reality for many children, due to many different reasons. One of these reasons may be parental alienation – but what is parental alienation and what is the impact of this on children?
Parental alienation is where a child becomes estranged from another parent or carer. It is caused by a parent/carer of a child voicing/demonstrating a repetitive pattern of negative views around the child about another parent or carer. These views then negatively impact the child’s perception of the other parent/carer, meaning that the child does not wish to have a relationship with them. Parental alienation is very serious, and it can have an extremely detrimental impact on the emotional wellbeing of children. The concept of parental alienation can often be weaponised in family law cases as a counter-allegation in response to claims of domestic abuse.
If you require any advice in relation to child arrangements then our family team can assist you and advise you about your options. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our four offices and we can book you in for a free initial telephone appointment to discuss your case and our timescales/costs.
