We know that Parental Alienation can affect either parent but the long term damage to the child is our primary concern. The children are coerced, coached and cut off from the non resident parent and the extended family and the alienating parent fails to recognise the long term harm being caused to the child. We recognise these children can often be victims of domestic abuse as they will be subjected to gaslighting and other coercive behaviours and will be weaponised against the protective parent. These children will require therapeutic support if front line practitioners fail to recognise and respond to the alienating behaviours. Parents who alienate can present as very “likeable” and it can be easy to be drawn into their narrative. The main goal of the alienating parent is to win at all costs and and to punish or destroy the protective parent.
