I read with interest about CAFCASS ‘ground breaking’ report on how to deal with Parental Alienation. There are many children who on divorce and separation have been subtly or not so subtly alienated from one parent by the other. The result is that they are ‘frightened’ of or hostile to one parent and therefore don’t see them. The parent who has enabled this or perpetrated it then gets the result that he or she wants which is to have the children all to themselves. Of course the impact on the children is terrible. To grow up believe in the horror of one parent if they are not in reality, horrific, is not a functioning way to grow up and has an impact on the ability to form adult relationships in due course and an impact on how conflict is managed.
The question is what to do about it .CAFCASS suggest that the alienating parent have intensive therapy and if they are not responsive then the children should go and live with the parent they are alienated from.
I am interested to hear your response and ideas about this. Did you grow up in a household where you didn’t see one parent because of alienation. Are you a parent who doesn’t want your children to see you ex? What has been the impact on you?