When a child begins resisting or completely refusing contact with a parent, the breakdown of the parent-child relationship can become one of the most difficult issues arising after separation or divorce.
Sometimes the relationship has deteriorated gradually.
In other cases, contact may have stopped following prolonged parental conflict, allegations of family violence, a long absence, estrangement, parental alienation allegations or a significant event involving the child and parent.
One potential intervention is commonly called reunification therapy.
In Alberta family law, the more formal concept appears within Family Practice Note 7 as Parent-Child Reunification, also described as remedial facilitated access.
Its purpose is generally to assist in repairing or rebuilding a damaged parent-child relationship.
However, reunification therapy is not automatically appropriate every time a child refuses to see a parent.
Understanding why the relationship broke down is essential before deciding whether reunification is safe, appropriate or likely to help.
What Is Reunification Therapy?
Reunification therapy is a therapeutic intervention intended to help repair a strained, interrupted or rejected relationship between a parent and child.
The work may involve:
- the child;
- the rejected or disconnected parent;
- the other parent;
- multiple therapists or parenting experts; or
- the family as a whole
The structure depends upon the circumstances.
Alberta Family Practice Note 7 expressly recognizes Parent-Child Reunification as a form of therapeutic intervention.
The Practice Note describes the process as facilitating remedial contact between a parent and child and notes that it can assist when a parent has been absent from the child's life for a significant period.
Is Reunification Therapy the Same as Family Therapy?
Not necessarily.
“Family therapy” is a broad term.
Reunification therapy has a more specific objective: addressing a damaged or interrupted parent-child relationship.
The professional may work on:
- restoring communication;
- rebuilding trust;
- understanding the reasons for rejection;
- reducing anxiety around contact;
- helping a parent respond more appropriately to the child;
- reducing unhealthy parental influence where present;
- gradually reintroducing contact; and
- establishing healthier boundaries
The therapeutic plan should be tailored to the particular family.
Why Might a Child Reject a Parent?
A child's refusal to see a parent does not automatically establish parental alienation.
Possible explanations include:
- legitimate fear;
- family violence;
- abuse;
- neglect;
- prolonged absence;
- serious conflict with the parent;
- inappropriate discipline;
- loss of trust;
- parental alienation;
- unhealthy influence;
- parentification;
- loyalty conflicts;
- developmental factors;
- anxiety;
- mental-health concerns; or
- a combination of factors
This distinction matters because the appropriate intervention depends upon the cause.
Parental Alienation vs. Estrangement
Two concepts frequently arise in reunification cases.
Parental Alienation
Parental alienation generally refers to allegations that a child's rejection of a parent has developed partly or substantially because of inappropriate influence or behaviour by the other parent.
Estrangement
Estrangement generally describes a damaged parent-child relationship where the child's resistance has an understandable basis in their experiences with the rejected parent.
These are not interchangeable.
Trying to “reunify” a child without understanding legitimate reasons for estrangement can potentially overlook serious concerns.
Conversely, allowing an unnecessarily damaged parent-child relationship to disappear without intervention can also have long-term consequences.
Does Alberta Recognize Reunification Therapy?
Yes.
Alberta Court of King's Bench Family Practice Note 7 expressly includes Parent-Child Reunification within the recognized therapeutic interventions available in child-related family disputes.
The intervention can involve one parenting expert or, in more complex circumstances, multiple parenting experts working with different family members.
This reflects an important reality:
Some high-conflict families are too complicated for a single therapist simply to meet with the child and rejected parent in isolation.
Who Is a Parenting Expert?
For interventions falling under Practice Note 7, Alberta establishes professional qualification requirements for parenting experts.
Depending upon the intervention, parenting experts may include appropriately qualified:
- registered psychologists; or
- registered clinical social workers meeting the applicable requirements
The professional must have suitable expertise for the family problem being addressed.
Can a Judge Order Reunification Therapy?
A Court may direct an appropriate therapeutic intervention within Alberta's family-law framework.
The exact authority, scope and terms depend upon the proceeding and Court order.
Where the parents agree that therapeutic intervention is needed, they may also be able to structure a consensual process.
However, parents should understand:
- who the professional is;
- what the professional is being asked to do;
- what information can be shared;
- whether reports will go to the Court;
- what happens if someone refuses to participate;
- who pays; and
- how the intervention interacts with parenting time
Does Reunification Therapy Mean Immediate Parenting Time?
Not necessarily.
Reunification can be gradual.
Depending upon the circumstances, the process might begin with:
- separate meetings;
- therapeutic preparation;
- indirect communication;
- letters or messages;
- video communication;
- supervised contact;
- short in-person sessions; or
- progressively longer contact
The appropriate progression depends upon the child and the reasons the relationship deteriorated.
What If the Child Says They Do Not Want Reunification?
The child's views matter.
Under Canadian family law, a child's views and preferences can form part of the best-interests analysis, taking into account age and maturity.
But a child's expressed refusal does not necessarily answer every question.
The Court and professionals may need to consider:
- why the child is refusing;
- how consistently the view is expressed;
- the child's age and maturity;
- whether the child has experienced harm;
- whether the child is under pressure;
- whether the child feels responsible for one parent;
- whether the relationship can safely be repaired; and
- whether therapeutic intervention could itself cause further harm
Can a Voice of the Child Report Be Used?
Potentially.
A Voice of the Child process may help the Court understand what the child is expressing.
However, a Voice of the Child report is not automatically a reunification assessment.
It may identify the child's views without determining:
- why the relationship deteriorated;
- whether alienation exists;
- whether the child is estranged;
- whether reunification therapy is appropriate; or
- how therapy should proceed
A different assessment may be necessary.
Can a Parenting Assessment Be Required Before Reunification?
In some cases, yes.
Where the underlying family dynamics are disputed, a targeted intervention or more comprehensive parenting assessment may help determine what is occurring.
For example, an assessment may explore allegations involving:
- alienation;
- family violence;
- psychological functioning;
- parenting risk;
- coercive control;
- estrangement;
- parentification; or
- impaired parenting capacity
The correct assessment should answer the question that actually matters.
Reunification Therapy and Family Violence
This is one of the most important issues.
Reunification therapy should not be treated as an automatic response where a child has been exposed to family violence or genuinely fears a parent.
Canadian family law requires courts to consider family violence when determining parenting arrangements.
Under the federal Divorce Act, the child's physical, emotional and psychological safety, security and well-being receive primary consideration.
A therapeutic goal of restoring a relationship cannot override legitimate safety concerns.
What About Coercive Control?
Coercive and controlling behaviour can also affect whether direct communication or therapeutic contact is appropriate.
A parent should not be pressured into a process that creates an unsafe avenue for continued control simply because the process is labelled “therapy.”
Professionals and lawyers should carefully consider:
- power imbalances;
- intimidation;
- family violence;
- prior controlling behaviour;
- safety planning; and
- the effect upon the child
What If Parental Alienation Is Proven?
Where inappropriate parental influence is established, reunification therapy may be one component of the response.
However, therapy alone may not solve the problem if the family environment continues reinforcing the same dynamics.
Depending upon the case, other legal or therapeutic responses may also be required, such as:
- changes to parenting arrangements;
- parenting coordination;
- specific Court directions;
- restrictions on harmful conduct;
- parenting education;
- therapeutic work with the aligned parent;
- child counselling; or
- further assessment
What If the Rejected Parent Contributed to the Breakdown?
Reunification should not always focus on changing the child.
Sometimes the rejected parent must also make changes.
Therapeutic work may require the parent to:
- acknowledge past behaviour;
- understand the child's perspective;
- develop better communication;
- respect boundaries;
- modify parenting techniques;
- take accountability;
- manage anger or conflict; or
- rebuild trust gradually
A child should not bear the entire responsibility for repairing the relationship.
Can the Other Parent Be Required to Support Reunification?
Depending upon the Court order and circumstances, a parent may be expected to support a lawful therapeutic or parenting process.
This can include avoiding conduct that undermines the intervention.
However, “supporting reunification” should not be confused with ignoring genuine safety concerns.
The terms of the Court order matter.
What Happens if Reunification Therapy Fails?
Not every relationship can be repaired quickly.
Some interventions take considerable time.
Others may reveal that:
- the therapeutic approach needs modification;
- additional assessment is required;
- the child needs individual support;
- a parent needs separate therapy;
- the parenting structure needs to change; or
- continued reunification efforts are presently inappropriate
The Court may then need to reconsider the parenting arrangement based upon updated evidence.
How Is Reunification Different From Parenting Coordination?
The two processes serve different purposes.
Reunification Therapy
Focuses primarily on repairing a damaged parent-child relationship.
Parenting Coordination
Focuses primarily on helping separated parents resolve recurring disputes in implementing an existing parenting arrangement.
A family may sometimes use both, but they are not substitutes for one another.
How Is Reunification Different From Child Counsel?
Child counsel provides legal representation to the child.
A reunification professional provides therapeutic intervention.
A lawyer does not replace a therapist, and a therapist does not replace the child's lawyer.
How Is Reunification Different From a Parenting Assessment?
A parenting assessment evaluates.
Reunification therapy attempts to change or repair a relationship.
This distinction is crucial.
A professional conducting an independent assessment may need to maintain a role different from the therapist actively treating the family.
Protecting the Child During Reunification
Parents can help by avoiding:
- questioning the child after sessions;
- demanding details about therapy;
- criticizing the therapist in front of the child;
- telling the child reunification is punishment;
- promising a particular Court outcome;
- pressuring the child to reconcile immediately; or
- using therapy sessions to gather evidence against the other parent
The process should remain focused on the child's emotional needs.
Speak With an Edmonton Family Lawyer About Reunification Therapy
A broken parent-child relationship can become increasingly difficult to repair as time passes.
But the answer is not simply to order more contact without understanding why the relationship broke down.
Ulasi Law Group assists families in Edmonton and throughout Alberta with parental alienation and estrangement disputes, rejected-parent cases, Practice Note 7 interventions, parenting assessments, Voice of the Child matters, child counsel and reunification therapy issues.
Contact Ulasi Law Group to discuss whether therapeutic intervention may be appropriate in your circumstances.
This article provides general legal information only and is not psychological, therapeutic or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is reunification therapy?
Reunification therapy is a therapeutic process intended to repair or rebuild a damaged or interrupted relationship between a parent and child.
Does Alberta recognize reunification therapy?
Yes. Alberta Family Practice Note 7 expressly recognizes Parent-Child Reunification, also described as remedial facilitated access, as a therapeutic intervention.
Is reunification therapy only used for parental alienation?
No. A damaged parent-child relationship can arise for many reasons, including prolonged absence, conflict, estrangement and other family dynamics.
Can reunification therapy be inappropriate?
Yes. Safety concerns, family violence, abuse or other circumstances may make reunification inappropriate or require a carefully structured approach.
Can a child refuse reunification therapy?
A child's views can be important, particularly depending upon age and maturity. The Court must nevertheless examine the circumstances rather than relying on one factor alone.
Is a Voice of the Child report the same as reunification therapy?
No. A Voice of the Child process gathers information about the child's views. Reunification therapy attempts to repair a parent-child relationship.
Is reunification therapy the same as a parenting assessment?
No. An assessment evaluates family circumstances. Reunification therapy is a therapeutic intervention intended to create change.
Can both parents participate?
Yes. Alberta's therapeutic-intervention framework recognizes processes involving parents and children, and complex cases may involve more than one parenting expert.
Can reunification therapy repair every rejected-parent relationship?
No. Outcomes depend upon the reasons for the relationship breakdown, safety, the child's needs, parental conduct and many other factors.