Indicators of understanding why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent
The practice aids below are derived from a range of sources and some are not Cafcass original documents. Each practice aid has been identified for use by Cafcass staff. Information on the source of each document is referenced in the further information section below.
Resources for assessing the reasons why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent
When a child is resisting or refusing time with a parent/carer post-separation, there may be a number of causes for this. This guide describes the range of potential reasons why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent/ carer and supports exploration of the impact on the child of adult behaviours, including alienating behaviours. It also provides guidance on children’s wishes and feelings and making recommendations to court in these circumstances.
Our Family Court Advisers consider the intensity of the parental behaviours alongside the impact of these behaviours on the child.
Practice aids and guidance
| Resource | Guidance on use | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A series of children’s situations have been adapted from real examples. They aim to provide practitioners with practical examples of the often-complex issues that arise in understanding the reasons for children not wanting to spend time with a parent. These examples can be used in group supervision to aid discussions and reflections around specific practice areas | Cafcass | |
| Alienating behaviours case law summaries | Relevant case law summaries relating to alienating behaviours to help aid practitioners in their work using real judgments. | Cafcass |
| Children’s beliefs about parental divorce practice aid | Private law: This guidance provides advice for recommendations on cases where the assessment indicates that the child is being harmed by alienating behaviour (or the court have found facts regarding this) and that this behaviour cannot be curbed. | Kurdek and Berg (1987) |