Happy Parenting – Malta (For Happier Children) has voiced its support for the National Dialogue on Parental Alienation initiated by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights.
Happy Parenting – Malta (For Happier Children) [HPM4HC] welcomed this initiative. “Parental Alienation is a controversial, disputed, and highly contested concept,” it said.
HMP4HC, for the last three years, has been reiterating its call for the “legal recognition of Parental Alienation, as well as ground-roots reform in the composition of the Family Court, and the setting up of an Agency solely dedicated to child upbringing issues.”
The organisation is dedicated to increasing the awareness and the education of the public and professionals who work with families and children, with regard to the causes and effects of Parental Alienation.
The NGO explained that it “works closely with experts, including Chief Judge (retired) Philip Marcus whom we recommended to both Family and Justice Ministers and who actually directed the training for the Malta Technical Committee on Parental Alienation.”
“We also organise an annual seminar on Family Well-being. This year we brought Judge Philip Marcus to Malta as a keynote speaker and also to offer further guidance and follow-ups with Ministers, Judges, University staff and other key persons,” it said.
The NGO stated that it therefore “strongly welcomes such discussions on a national level. HMP4HC urges the authorities to raise awareness of and to campaign against Parental Alienation. With awareness comes education, understanding, and the power to stop the abuse of innocent children who are caught in the crossfire of people they love.”
“Parental Alienation is a sad reality that, unfortunately, is very common in our society. This term defines the situation where one parent attempts to influence negatively their children against the other parent, referred to as the targeted parent. Though very common in our society, it is not yet recognised in Maltese Law.”
HPM4HC concluded by saying that it is “insisting with the state to change this and also to combat third-party alienation by some professionals within the legal and the social care system.”
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