Dr. Richard Gardner who introduced "Parental Alienation Syndrome" in the 1970s, stated that "Courts are not going to be successful in alleviating the problem of parental -alienation-syndrome families by simply ordering them to cease and desist from programming children or obstructing visitation" (Parental Alienation Syndrome, p. 220).

"It's crucial that the courts make an early decision regarding primary custody, with cases of severe parental alienation. Courts are traditionally slow and thereby prolonging the family's grief and entrenchment of the parental alienation syndrome" (Parental Alienation Syndrome, p. 270).

"The only hope for the children is to remove custody from the alienating parent and be given to the hated parent, along with other sanctions and treatments" (Parental Alienation Syndrome p. 226,271).

Thankfully, a Toronto Judge recognised the damage of "Parental Alienation" which is a form of denigration done to children by one parent against another.

After a decade of denigration, involving three daughters ages nine to 14, a parent was stripped of custody, by Justice Faye McWatt of the Superior Court of Justice.

According to the Toronto Star News dated January 24th 2009, titled "Ruling a 'wake-up call' for parents who use kids to punish ex-partners".

Justice McWatt heard evidence from Barbara Fidler, a Toronto mediator and psychologist and stated that "research points to long-term damage in people alienated from a parent during childhood".

Worst, "children are more susceptible at about age 10 & 11, after their brains have developed to the point where they can retain positive and negative information about a parent.

"Children can become confused, by what one parent says about the other parent, which does not concur with their own perceptions. Hence, children can invent their own reasons for hating the other parent".

According to Queen's University law professor, Nicholas Bala. "Badmouthing and negative attitudes by one parent towards another is quite common, amid separated couples.

"Treatment is resolved by counselling in most cases- and I think some of them are suffering from personality disorders- who will not respond to therapy, nor respond to directions from the judges. But in recent years, the justice system has begun to understand the harmful effects of the worst form of this behaviour".

The judge said awarding A.L. (identified as the father, a vascular surgeon) sole custody was the children's only hope for having a relationship with their father, given their mother's long-running transgressions, for over a decade.

Also, the mother is to have no access to the children except in conjunction with counselling, including a special intensive therapy program for children affected by "parental alienation syndrome". The mother must bear the costs.

These include ignoring court orders, shutting the door in A.L.'s face when he came to collect the children and refusing to answer the phone when he called to say "good night". He was granted telephone access to say good night on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

At times, she also arranged for police to show up when her daughters had overnight visits with their father.

Eventually, the mother, (identified as K.D. a chiropodist) cut off contact altogether, refusing to allow A.L. to see or speak with his daughters. He was reduced to shouting "good night" to them through the door of their home, often not knowing whether they were there.

Justice Faye McWatt wrote in her judgment released January 16th 2009. The mother's "consistent and overwhelming" campaign to brainwash the children into thinking their father was a bad person was nothing short of emotional abuse.

"It is remarkable that A.L has not given in to the respondent's persistence in keeping his children from him over the last eight years and simply gone on with his life without the children as, no doubt many other parents in the same situation would and, indeed done," said Judge McWatt.

Parental Alienation is a major problem in many families especially the children caught in the middle of a separation and divorce. ChildWatch will be commemorating Parental Alienation Day on April 25th 2009.

Minister Dale Butler will be reading the Proclamation at the City Hall on April 24th 2009, hopefully we will have other events taking place during that week.

Many countries around the world will also be bringing the awareness on April 25th.

n For more information on parental alienation, email: childwatch.bermuda@yahoo.com">childwatch.bermuda@yahoo.com or Tel. 292-3529 Edward Tavares ChildWatch — Co-founder.