Three months later

Parental Alienation (PA) is when a child refuses to have a relationship with one parent (the targeted parent) due to psychological manipulation of the child by the other parent (the alienating parent). 

Alienating strategies can include some or all of the following: repetitive denigration of the targeted parent (for example telling a child their parent doesn’t love them), preventing contact between the child/ren and the targeted parent, making false allegations of child abuse against the targeted parent to the police and social services and, in some instances, coercing and coaching child/ren to make false allegations. These are known as Parental Alienating Behaviours (PABs). PA is more likely to occur following separation/ divorce, although it can and does occur while parents are living together. Psychologically, PA is similar to cult and grooming behaviour.

The effects on both the children and targeted parent are profoundly devastating as demonstrated in the two pictures above. Before alienation, this nine-year-old enjoyed a close loving relationship with both of her parents. The secure attachment she had with her Dad was reflected in this happy child’s picture and loving message. In Parental Alienation, the natural instinct of a child to love their “targeted” parent is subverted. This second picture was drawn only months after repeated alienating strategies were deployed, following the separation of her parents. Here the child is shown decapitating her previously much-loved non-resident father, clear signs of extreme emotional disturbance. Yet, in this case, despite ‘extreme harm’ being identified in psychologist reports, the court ruled she remained with the parent who created the pathology and 'indirect contact' for the safe protective parent.

The severity of PA positively correlates with the frequency and number of alienating strategies deployed as well as the length of time alienation has gone on for. It varies from mild to moderate to severe which differ in the degree of hostility / rejection shown to the targeted parent. Preventing contact with the targeted parent facilitates the process of parental alienation because the child begins to forget their loving parent and the lack of contact means they are starved of any evidence which contradicts what they are being told. The effect is to erode the TP from the child’s life. 

In its severe form PA leads to the complete severance of the relationship between the child and parent. The targeted parent may never see his/her child again. Aside from death, nothing is more brutal. Because PA gets progressively worse with time it is vital to stop the alienation as early as possible.

PA is a form of extreme emotional abuse and has been described by some psychologists as being more dangerous than sexual or physical abuse based on the outcomes for children and alienated parents. These frequently include lifelong depression, anxiety, substance misuse and suicide ideation.

Parental Alienation is found globally and is extremely common. The first UK wide study found 39.2% of separated / divorced parents reported being victims of PABs whose intent was to damage the bond with their child. 26.8% said that these behaviours had resulted in harm to the relationship with their child. This mirrors research from North America where 32-39% of separated parents reported experiencing PABs. 

This suggests that hundreds of thousands of families, and over 1 million people in the UK may have experienced parental alienating behaviours during separation. In other words, this is a medical health emergency. Despite this, no meaningful action has ever been taken to stop it. Rather, the current system helps facilitate PA. 

THE AIMS OF END PARENTAL ALIENATION NOW 

1) Present the evidence of the reality of PA to policy makers in the UK. 

This evidence presented is distilled from academic research and case studies over many years. Links to key research papers and further reading is supplied. This part of the website is critical for the following reason. There are people who may understandably ask: "Surely, a child would not reject a parent in this way without good reason". Indeed, there have been people, including some academics, and organisations, who deny the existence of PA. A section on these deniers has been included on this website. The evidence will make clear the reality of PA.

2) Campaign for the following changes in UK legislation

a) Make child abduction within the UK a criminal offence (currently only abduction abroad is illegal)

b) Make Parental Alienation a separate criminal offence

c) Mandate shared (ideally equal) parenting following separation or divorce which is in the best interests of the child(ren) unless evidence can be presented that such an arrangement would be worse for the child(ren)

d) Set up a separate criminal court called the "Child Abuse Court". All allegations of child abuse must be referred to this court which must make determinations within two weeks, given speed is critical. This means such courts need to be sufficiently resourced.

Our hope is that these changes and this campaign will inspire similar changes in other countries.