What legal options are available for victims of parental alienation?

Parental alienation is when one parent uses negative attitudes and behaviours to turn a child against the other parent. The aim is to damage the child’s relationship with the alienated parent.

Options for victims of parental alienation include: Seeking the enforcement of an existing order. Breached orders can be enforced by fines, unpaid work, payment of financial compensation, or in serious cases, imprisonment.

Request the court to investigate allegations of parental alienation through a fact-finding hearing.

Ask the court to appoint an independent professional (a Guardian) to represent the child’s best interests.

Apply for a variation of the child arrangements. In severe cases, this could include a transfer of who the child lives with to the alienated parent.

Seek a Prohibited Steps Order to prevent certain actions or behaviours by the alienating parent.

Consider requesting psychological evaluations to ascertain the root cause of the parental alienation.

Offer to attend a Planning Together for Children programme or mediation.