The Government does not recognise the concept of \u201cparental alienation\u201d and does not accept that it is a syndrome capable of diagnosis.<\/p>
In his judgment in the case of Re C<\/em> the President of the Family Division detailed that the courts focus should be on the \u201cidentification of \u2018alienating behaviour\u2019\u201d rather than seeking \u201cto determine whether the label \u2018parental alienation\u2019 can be applied\u201d. In providing advice to the court, Cafcass does not recognise \u201cparental alienation\u201d and instead looks at the individual behaviours of a parent. In cases where a child is resistant, or refuses, to see a parent Cafcass Family Court Advisers must first consider whether domestic abuse or other forms of harmful parenting are a contributing factor.<\/p> The Government is aware of concerns of about unregulated \u201cparental alienation\u201d experts being instructed in the family courts. To address this issue, we are working with the Family Procedure Rule Committee to make changes to the Family Procedure Rules and their associated Practice Directions to prevent the instruction of these unregulated experts.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4004", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Freer"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Finchley and Golders Green"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Freer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-01T16:39:25.577Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle parental alienation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ealing Central and Acton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rupa Huq"}
], "uin" : "23537"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1671247", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1671247/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department does not hold the information requested. As the independent regulator of 15 health and care professions, the Health and Care Professions Council is responsible for receiving and handling complaints about practitioners on its register.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4948", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Markham"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Markham"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-27T14:47:56.127Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government how many complaints the Health and Care Professionals Council has received since 2020 regarding professionals under their regulation providing evidence of parental alienation in court cases.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4947", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Leicester"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Lord Bishop of Leicester"}
], "uin" : "HL416"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1379937", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1379937/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All social workers in England must meet the professional standards set by the regulator, Social Work England. Providers of initial training must meet the education and training standards, also set by the regulator, to ensure their students can meet the professional standards. The department has also introduced clear post-qualifying standards, setting out the knowledge and skills expected of child and family social workers.<\/p> These standards cover working with parents, including managing tensions between parents and family members, the effect of different parenting styles and assessing parental capacity and capability to change.<\/p> It is for providers of initial education, ongoing training and local authority employers to decide specific areas of focus, for example, parental alienation, within social worker training, with reference to the relevant standards. This enables training at all levels to be tailored to the needs of individuals, responsive and up to date.<\/p> The definitions and risk factor categories defined in the department\u2019s data collection on initial and end of assessments are not intended to be exhaustive, and parental alienation is not a specific category. However, all potential risk factors will be assessed including the impact of such behaviours on a child and the extent to which they may be considered harmful.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "77463"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-23T16:46:26.13Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether parental alienation is a category on children's services assessments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
], "uin" : "77462"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1379938", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1379938/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All social workers in England must meet the professional standards set by the regulator, Social Work England. Providers of initial training must meet the education and training standards, also set by the regulator, to ensure their students can meet the professional standards. The department has also introduced clear post-qualifying standards, setting out the knowledge and skills expected of child and family social workers.<\/p> These standards cover working with parents, including managing tensions between parents and family members, the effect of different parenting styles and assessing parental capacity and capability to change.<\/p> It is for providers of initial education, ongoing training and local authority employers to decide specific areas of focus, for example, parental alienation, within social worker training, with reference to the relevant standards. This enables training at all levels to be tailored to the needs of individuals, responsive and up to date.<\/p> The definitions and risk factor categories defined in the department\u2019s data collection on initial and end of assessments are not intended to be exhaustive, and parental alienation is not a specific category. However, all potential risk factors will be assessed including the impact of such behaviours on a child and the extent to which they may be considered harmful.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "77462"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-23T16:46:26.193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether parental alienation is part of a social worker's (a) initial and (b) ongoing training.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
], "uin" : "77463"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1367043", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1367043/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Incidences of alleged parental alienation by either parent in relation to family proceedings about child arrangements are not recorded centrally. Such information can only be obtained from individual case files at disproportionate cost.<\/p> In assessing the child\u2019s best interests, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) assess and report any concerns about alienating behaviours to the court, focusing on the impact on the child\u2019s safety and welfare and in the context of wider family dynamics. Parents are also able to inform the court of any concerns they may have about the other parent. Cafcass\u2019 Child Impact Assessment Framework includes various tools and guidance that further support social work practitioners in identifying where a child expresses reluctance to have an ongoing relationship with a parent, including domestic abuse, persistent and harmful conflict and alienating behaviours.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "71485"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T12:19:13.44Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of the use of parental alienation accusations in the family courts.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Apsana Begum"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Apsana Begum"}
], "uin" : "71484"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1365601", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1365601/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government recognises the additional pressures that the family justice system has faced since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the impact this has had on children and families who use the family courts. Cases with the most significant safeguarding issues remain our priority.<\/p> The child\u2019s welfare is the paramount consideration when considering child arrangement issues and in dealing with allegations of parental alienation. In assessing the child\u2019s best interests, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) assesses and reports any concerns about alienating behaviours to the court, focusing on the impact on the child\u2019s safety and welfare and in the context of wider family dynamics. Parents are also able to inform the court of any concerns they may have about the other parent.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-08T17:11:06.273Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Rearing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of delays in family courts on cases of parental alienation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4657", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anneliese Dodds"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Oxford East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anneliese Dodds"}
], "uin" : "68414"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1339452", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1339452/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " For the first time in history there is in statute a wide-ranging definition of domestic abuse which incorporates a range of abuses beyond physical violence, including emotional, coercive or controlling behaviour, and economic abuse.<\/p> <\/p> The Home Secretary is to issue statutory guidance on domestic abuse, under section 84 of the Domestic Abuse Act to support the implementation of the definition of domestic abuse introduced by the Act.<\/p> <\/p> The guidance aims to provide information to help with recognising abuse and how it may impact different victims. This includes children, who are for the first time recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right. In addition, it seeks to provide support to frontline professionals, signpost other sources of guidance, useful resources and tools. A finalised version of the guidance is not yet available, the Home Secretary is required under the legislation to undertake consultation ahead of finalising the guidance and before it may be issued, details of this will follow in due course. A draft of the guidance was published during the passage of the Bill, and is available for reference:<\/p>