Review cases where ‘parental alienation’ has been used as a reason to place children in foster care or placements, or to provide custody to parent who has been accused of abuse. Ensure that children are heard, and end use of these concepts in courts, criminal investigations & social work practice.

On 30 June 2026, Ministers told Parliament that parental alienation is a totally discredited concept. Yet we believe it still shapes decisions in family courts, criminal investigations and social work practice that may separate children from loving parents, grandparents, and siblings, often without their wishes and feelings ever being heard. For many abuse victims, the allegation itself can be a tool of coercive control. The Government's rejection of this theory must now be reflected in practice, not just words.