How to Define Parental Alienation

Child Custody cases are painful for the parents and for the children, and in those cases where one parent is trying to cut out the other parent from the child’s life, it is even more painful. Those cases where one parent is working to remove the other parent from the child’s life are called Parental Alienation cases, and sometimes they are referred to as Parental Estrangement cases. In Los Angeles County we generally use the term Parent Alienation or Parent Estrangement to refer to the damaged relationship of parent and child.

Parent alienation is a complex and emotionally charged area, there is great controversy over what it means, and how you diagnose it.

In general Parental Alienation is the concerted effort by one parent to remove or destroy the relationship between the other parent and and the child or children.