Child protection authorities have categorically denied allegations by a mother claiming to have witnessed the “forceful” removal of two of her children following a family court decision aimed at mending relations with the minors’ father. 

Child Protection Services official Steve Libreri rebutted the allegations made by the mother last month in a judicial protest filed by her lawyer, describing how two of her four boys, a seven- and an 11-year old, were taken away from her by agency officials by means of “great force”.

The intervention followed in the wake of a family court decision to change the boys’ residence, allowing them to spend time with the father who had long been alienated from the children who refused to live with him.

The couple had been locked in a years-long acrimonious separation battle involving a succession of experts who had been roped in by the court to assess the situation and to come up with a plan tailored to safeguard the children’s welfare. 

Meanwhile, the father also sought recourse before the European Court of Human Rights, obtaining a judgment that confirmed his claims about parental alienation and awarded damages not only to him but also to each of his sons. 

All experts involved in the family court dispute remarked that the mother had “greatly damaged” relations between the minors and her estranged husband, observed Libreri in the counter-protest rebutting the woman’s allegations.

Had she abided by expert advice, the change of residence ordered by the court “could possibly have been avoided”.

Moreover, in her judicial protest, the mother had failed to mention that there had been a previous failed attempt to transfer the two boys to their father’s home.

On August 13, a team of experts had resorted to every psychological tactic imaginable in an attempt to calmly cajole the boys into going to their father but had finally given up after a six-hour futile feat.

Four days later, the experts once again sought to persuade the two boys to get out of their mother’s car.

The woman herself “categorically refused” to cooperate, pointed out Libreri who had personally assisted in the operation. 

It was only after three hours of verbal persuasion that was leading nowhere, that the decision was ultimately taken to ‘physically” remove the boys from the car, kicking and biting the professionals all the way. 

It was to be stressed that such “strong resistance” was to be expected after years of alienation, said the agency official, adding that it was ultimately in the minors’ best interests to “learn the truth about their father and mend relations with him”.

Parental alienation was a form of child abuse, breaching children’s rights as safeguarded under the UN Convention, read the counter-protest.

Still, the mother insisted on making derogatory comments about allegations in her regard, making herself out as the victim.

She chose not to cooperate with court-appointed professionals and left the court with no option other than to order the minors’ move to the father’s home. 

After that episode, the two boys soon calmed down and their relationship with the father was already showing signs of improvement, the court was told. 

In her judicial protest, the mother had also claimed that she had no news of her sons but had failed to mention that following their removal, she had disconnected her phone. 

An email sent to her by a child psychologist was marked as read but had gone unanswered. 

In light of such circumstances, the Child Protection Directorate categorically denied all allegations made by the mother, rebutting her claims about the unprofessional handling of the situation and any failure on the part of those involved to safeguard the minors’ best interests.

Names of both parents were being withheld to safeguard the children.

Lawyer Daniela Azzopardi Bonanno signed the counter-protest.