If 1 in 4 Children Were Affected by Any Other Form of Harm, Would We Stay Silent?
- PAPA
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Imagine being told that one in four children experience a pattern of behaviours that can harm their relationship with a loving parent.
Would we ignore it? Would we accept it as normal? Or would we ask what we can do to protect these children?
Recent research from the University of West London reveals that 25% of children are exposed to 20 or more alienating behaviours, and almost all children, 98%—experience at least one such behaviour.
These numbers demand our attention and action.
Alienating behaviours can seriously affect children’s emotional well-being and their ability to maintain healthy relationships with both parents.
This article explores what alienating behaviours look like, why they matter, and how parents, professionals, and communities can work together to protect children.
If you're an alienated parent or family member and need help with your situation then you should join PAPA today.
At PAPA we have several free to use support spaces, as well as several additional resources available to our Plus members, such as courses, PAPA AI, 1-2-1 help and workshops on family law and mental health.
What Are Alienating Behaviours?
Alienating behaviours involve actions that damage or undermine a child’s relationship with one parent.
These behaviours can take many forms, including:
Repeatedly criticising or belittling the other parent in front of the child
Exposing the child to adult conflicts or disputes
Pressuring the child to take sides or reject one parent
Creating loyalty conflicts that make the child feel responsible for adult problems
The impact of these behaviours depends on how often they occur, their intensity, and how the child experiences them.
When persistent, they can cause emotional harm, confusion, and distress.
Children may feel torn between parents, guilty for loving both, or fearful of expressing their true feelings.
Why These Behaviours Matter
Children deserve the freedom to love both parents when it is safe and appropriate.
Alienating behaviours interfere with this right and can have long-lasting effects on a child’s mental health and family relationships.
Research shows that children caught in these dynamics may experience:
Anxiety and depression
Low self-esteem
Difficulty trusting others
Strained family bonds that persist into adulthood
If one in four children face this challenge, then almost every community, school, and workplace likely knows families affected by alienating behaviours.
This is not a private issue; it belongs to all of us.
How Parents Can Reflect and Act
Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children’s emotional environment.
Reflecting on how words and actions influence a child’s relationship with the other parent is essential.
Some practical steps include:
Avoid speaking negatively about the other parent in front of the child
Encourage open communication and allow the child to express feelings freely
Support the child’s relationship with both parents whenever it is safe
Seek help from family therapists or mediators if conflicts become intense
By fostering respect and understanding, parents can protect their children from feeling caught in the middle of adult disputes.
The Role of Professionals in Recognising and Responding to Harm
Teachers, social workers, counsellors, and healthcare providers often see children and families facing these challenges.
It is vital that professionals:
Recognise signs of alienating behaviours and unhealthy family dynamics
Assess each case based on individual evidence rather than assumptions
Provide support and resources tailored to the child’s needs
Collaborate with families to promote healthy relationships
Training and awareness programs can equip professionals to identify and respond effectively, ensuring children receive the protection and care they deserve.
How Communities Can Support Families
Friends, relatives, and neighbors often witness family conflicts and can play a supportive role.
Communities can help by:
Encouraging open conversations about family dynamics without judgement
Offering a listening ear to children and parents alike
Speaking up when a child appears to be drawn into adult conflicts
Promoting awareness about the impact of alienating behaviours
When communities take collective responsibility, children gain a safer environment to grow and thrive.
Moving Forward Together
Recognising alienating behaviours is the first step toward protecting children.
Refusing to ignore these situations is the next.
Every child deserves the chance to grow up with safe, loving relationships.
Wherever it is safe and appropriate, this means protecting their relationship with both parents.
By working together; parents, professionals, and communities, we can create a culture that values children’s emotional well-being and supports healthy family connections.
The challenge is real, but so is our ability to make a difference.
Every child’s right to love and be loved by both parents is fundamental.
If you know a child affected by alienating behaviours, consider how you can help.
Whether by listening, offering support, or seeking professional advice, your actions matter.
Together, we can protect children and build stronger families.
In need of help or support?
If you are an alienated parent reading this article and feel you are in need of help and support then please make sure to join PAPA today by signing up here on our website.
This will give you access to our community support forum as well as our Resource Centre, which includes downloadable guides and on-demand courses to help through the process of being alienated and regaining contact with your children.
We also have our Facebook support group that you can join here.
Our Facebook support group has several dedicated chat rooms where you can get immediate support.
If you are a member of PAPA you can also send us a message here on the website and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible but please bear in mind, we have hundreds of messages weekly so it may take us a while to get back to you.
We are currently prioritising PAPA Plus members due to high demand.
Regardless of circumstance you are not alone and at PAPA we are here to support you.
Become a PAPA Ambassador
If you like our resources, articles and support networks and agree with what we stand for then why not get involved and help us push PAPA further by joining our Ambassador Program?
We would love for you to join us and help spread awareness for parental alienation and all of the dynamics involved so that we can continue to help parents and children towards a better future.
Our Ambassador Program allows you to grow your involvement with the cause by earning points on your membership.
To earn points we have created rewards for actions such as completing one of our courses, booking a case review, or ordering supply.
We will be adding new rewards and actions to our Ambassador Program as we continue to grow our awareness efforts.
We want our members to feel rewarded for their support as we continue to look for new ways to improve the lives of those impacted by parental alienation.
You can also become a PAPA Plus member, which will give you exclusive access to even more help and resources.
Each PAPA Plus membership makes a huge difference to the cause as it really helps us to improve our services and our awareness campaigns.
Proceeds from memberships and supply allow us to push the cause much further towards raising awareness and improving our services and resources so that we can continue to help more and more parents and children.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support of PAPA and our mission to end parental alienation.
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