Children need. . . THIS? standards and practices in chld custody evaluations

Children need. . . THIS? standards and practices in chld custody evaluationsCHILD CUSTODY EVALUATORS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Parental Alienation Theory
[ANONYMOUS LISTSERVE QUESTION]: "I have a question about the literature and relapse behaviors -- the potential for relapse of a mother who, in the past, engaged in alienating behaviors that resulted in her children being further alienated from their father than they already were... I am treating a mother who was sent to me by Dependency Court for alienating her children from their father... history of domestic violence and child abuse... case that has gone on for almost a decade. At this point in time the mother does not need treatment for trauma herself... I have been the mother's therapist at the request of the presiding judge for about 3 months. After significant work in treatment the mother has recognized how her overt and covert/conscious and not so conscious behavior has hurt the children... The mother (and the father) have had only monitored contact with the children since September. The children are living with their maternal grandparents... The judge is considering gradually lifting the monitoring for the mother... The judge has this question of me: If the monitoring is lifted what is the chance of a relapse in the mother's behaviors?" (California doctorate-level MHP, January 18, 2004).
        [ANONYMOUS LISTSERVE RESPONSE]: "Here are three articles by Richard Gardner that may be of assistance..." (Florida doctorate-level MHP, January 18, 2003).
[ANONYMOUS LISTSERVE QUESTION]: "A quick example of this last one. I had a case a few years ago in which two children, one in late elementary school, the other in high school--accused their father of physically and emotionally abusing them, said they hated him and never wanted to see him again. Mother was perfect in every way. Members of mother's extended family strongly vilified father as well. I saw the kids as alienated and not at all abused. I decided that the younger child should live with father (and father's now blended family) despite his absolute refusal and that mother's time should be severely curtailed with him temporarily. The older child was too physically out of control around father and intimidated stepmom too much for this solution to work and I regretfully left him with mother. Several outside experts hired by mother said some pretty slanderous things about me and ridiculed my methods and my opinions, but the judge ultimately followed my advice..." (California doctorate-level MHP, December 8, 2004).
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