The term generally describes a situation where one parent wrongfully influences a child or children against the other parent, often resulting in the family being torn apart.She is asking the public to help inform future policy or law in this area.
"There are occasions when children will reject a parent for valid reasons such as neglect and abuse. This is not that," said Brian O'Sullivan, a psychotherapist who has researched and worked with families torn apart by parental alienation. "It's very much a child welfare issue and needs to be responded to in the very same way we would respond to other forms of child abuse."
She said that children are often manipulated into making false allegations and in some cases have had to go through several garda interviews and interviews with Tusla.Mr O'Sullivan believes prosecutions for parental alienation would be useful for severe cases. Ms Ghent worries that amid the flurry of false allegations made in family courts, allegations with substance can be lost.
parentalalienation - an evidence based approach - time to stop this childabuse
This will bring hope to thousands of Irish Parents and their Extended families that they may reunite with their unjustifiably alienated children - please note parentalalienation is STILL not recognised as child abuse by tusla CAMHs Womens_Aid SAFEIreland etc YET!
Very important this gets more coverage to build momentum and establish real practical steps to tackle this issue. Another opportunity for Ireland to lead on social change.
Thanks for highlighting this issue. Unfortunately Parent Alienation is far more common that we think. We need to protect our most vulnerable our children!!
Well done to thisweekrte for covering this very important social issue. Ireland is turning into a world leader in tackling social matters head on. Recognition of parental alienation will defuze many high conflict separations for children. Many thanks HMcEntee & DeptJusticeIRL
Congratulations to RTE for engaging in this serious abuse issue in a sensitive and constructive way.
oneilllo and irishexaminer have written about how dangerous so called parental alienation is.
AllianceAgains4 Why isn’t this happening in the U.K.
Here is Poland being rebuked by the Council of Europe under the Istanbul Convention for engaging with the nonsense concept of parental alienation.
Parental alienation is a bogus concept used to silence children and victims of domestic abuse. It is illegal under the Istanbul Convention and CEDAW. Details of the harm it does are in our infographic.
Well done Ireland for taking a positive stance on this Child Psychological Abuse. Are you going to do the same DominicRaab MoJGovUK MyCafcass
It's devastating, sometimes all you can do is remain positive, keep communication open, and hope when they get older they realise they were manipulated. Missing birthdays, Christmas etc is soul destroying, it's hell on earth.
'Parental alienation is a child abuse issue. It's important that Tusla should have an integral role in the consultation process,' Solicitor CatherineGhent told RTÉ's This Week programme. Thank you Carolecoleman & thisweekrte for rasing awareness of public consultation