An Interdisciplinary Case Management Protocol for Child Resistance or Refusal Dynamics

Bibliographic Data

ID21739714
AuthorsFrancine Cyr (corresponding author), Karine Poitras (0000-0002-0728-5921), Élisabeth Godbout
Year2020
Volume58
Issue2
Pages560-575
Publication date2020-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamily Court Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1531-2445 • E-ISSN: 1744-1617
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/fcre.12487
OpenAlexW3021709107
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited30

High‐conflict parental separation cases associated with child's estrangement or contact refusal take an unusually large amount of court time and generate high emotional costs for parents and children. This paper reports on a study of a research‐based pilot project and protocol, called the Parenting Conflict Resolution (PCR), which is intended to reduce parental conflict, improve interparental communication, and support or restore the parent–child relationship. The protocol was developed at the Superior Court in Quebec City (Canada), and involves single judge case management, and lawyers' commitment to have the child's best interests as their primary consideration and to guide their clients to trust the process. The assigned judge and lawyers have the ongoing involvement of a mandated psychotherapist, taking a family systems approach with the case. The PCR also requires the parents to participate in a psycho‐educational, introspective group program to work on co‐parenting and communication skills. Ongoing communication between the professionals involved in the PCR is required to ensure cohesion and accountability. This pilot project was implemented with 10 high‐conflict families, 6 of which presented with the child's resistance or refusal to see one parent. A qualitative data study was undertaken into the experiences of all the participants. The most salient result is the resumption of parent–child contact in all six contact refusal cases. Discussion highlights key elements to successfully address these cases: (a) interdisciplinary program delivery, (b) systemic understanding of the contact problems, (c) focus on the child's best interest, (d) single judge assigned to the case, (e) lawyers' support of the parents' participation, and (f) psychotherapist reporting to the court

Accountability · Conflict management · Conflict resolution · Focus group · Introspection · Medical education · Political science · Qualitative research · Sociology · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child Welfare and Adoption · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Law · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub