Understand

What is known, what is disputed, and what to make of a child’s reluctance, resistance or refusal to see a parent.

Parental alienation is not a medical or psychiatric diagnosis. What is recognised is that some parents behave in ways that damage a child’s relationship with their other parent, and that this can seriously harm children — and equally, that a child may refuse contact for good reasons, including abuse. Nothing here is a diagnosis or legal advice. What this site does and doesn’t claim.

• What we know and what’s disputed — the myth-check
• How to tell the difference
• When a child has good reasons
• How we source things
• What does this look like? — a private, unscored quiz
• Voices — named people and where they stand
• Browse all frequently asked questions