Happy Parenting – Malta (for Happier Children) is holding a 17-day awareness campaign on parental alienation running until Monday, December 21.

As from last Saturday, the organisation has embarked on visits to different local councils in Malta and Gozo with a clear aim of making people, including professionals, more aware of what parental alienation is and how it damages the family system. 

Parental alienation occurs when a parent (the favoured parent) manipulates the children to unjustly reject the other parent (the targeted parent). Specific behaviours they engage themselves in, including lies and brainwashing, are referred to as parental alienation strategies, leaving the targeted parent in a very fragile situation and denied access to his/her own children, who from their end start to badly perceive the targeted parent.

When parental alienation is in place, the children are also subjected to long-term negative effects, including psychological and emotional problems. The alienator could possibly be suffering from mental health issues or might be suffering from a personality disorder.

In all parental alienation cases, there is an urgent need for support for the whole family. By way of explaining parental alienation, one has to clearly distinguish it from estrangement cases, where a parent abuses of or behaves badly towards the children who, in return, cut off all contact with him/her.

Happy Parenting − Malta (for Happier Children) representatives have so far visited Msida, Gżira, Dingli, Sannat and Qala, delivering a clear message that parental alienation is family violence, reiterating that in their lives, children need both parents.

During this 17-day campaign, a black Christmas tree is being used to symbolise the sadness such families experience. Instead of a merry and jolly season full of light and peace, families caught up in alienation go only through dull times full of sadness.

For more details on Happy Parenting − Malta (for Happier Children), kindly contact 7760 3330.