SCC Recognizes New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence
In a landmark decision, Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia 2026 SCC 16, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) confirmed the creation of a tort of intimate partner violence. The SCC recognized a …
The Far Reaching Impacts of Parental Alienation
Mar 06, 2021
Family law lawyers must always consider the best interests of the child or children at the center of a parenting dispute, regardless of their client’s perspective.
Parental Alienation occurs when one parent (the alienating parent) takes steps to manipulate a child to reject the other parent (the alienated parent) and the child eventually becomes estranged from the alienated parent. Children naturally seek to connect with their parents. When a parent is completely rejected by a child over time for no identifiable or justifiable reason, this is a significant red flag that can suggest alienation.
When there is conflict between separated parents, children react in a variety of ways that are influenced by what they see and hear (external influences), the children’s natural temperaments, the family dynamic as a whole and numerous other factors.
In high conflict matters where there is suspected parental alienation it can be difficult to identify solutions to the issues arising from the relationship breakdown. Sometimes counselling for the parents is the best solution, sometimes the children benefit from counselling support and sometimes the family as a whole can benefit from therapy.
Parental alienation is defined by some as as a form of child abuse. It will often need an professional psychological assessment of the family to be clearly identified. The psychological damage that can be done to children as a result of parental alienation can have lifelong impacts.
The following article describes the effect of parental alienation:
The Family Law Lawyers at SVR Family Lawyers are experienced in matters involving parental alienation and work closely with psychologists and other experts in the community to try to proactively address and resolve these types of issues as quickly as possible. For more information on parental alienation please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the SVR Family law team.
View Similar Articles
-
-
Big Changes Coming to Family Law in Alberta
Starting January 2, 2026, Alberta is introducing a major update to how family law matters move through the Court of King’s Bench. These changes—called the Family Focused Protocol (FFP)—are designed…
-
Understanding Financial Abuse in Alberta Family Law
What is financial abuse? Financial abuse is increasingly being raised in family law disputes in Alberta — but it’s not always clear what it actually means. For some, it’s about…
Great experience. Professional and thoughtful with good insights.
Relaxed and to the point team. Helped me when I panicked to stay calm and then walked me through things. Really friendly and always available
Very satisfied with the services provided by the lawyers at SVR Lawyers! It was a long and convoluted divorce process, but Cindy Lee and their assistants have helped me to navigate through it and finalize it. I highly recommend them!