My personal encounter with the family court system has left me with unbearable heartbreak. Due to a lack of necessary understanding of PARENTAL ALIENATION among court professionals, my child has been taken away from me under lawful circumstances - an act often referred to as legal kidnapping. 

Parental alienation is a set of behaviors that are harmful to children's mental and emotional well-being. This is when one parent or caretaking interferes with a relationship of a child with the other parent. These behaviors most often accompany high conflict marital situations including separation, divorce, and child custody issues. Without proper awareness and understanding of parental alienation, the court professionals risk making decisions that could adversely affect the children and parents involved.

As per a study in the Journal of Family Therapy, nearly 22 million parents in the US alone are reportedly alienated from their childre. The true gravity of this issue is perhaps far more encompassing when you start counting the number of professionals working in the family court system oblivious to this aspect. Therefore, it is time for legal professionals like Guardian ad Litem (GALs), domestic lawyers, magistrates, and others involved in custody disputes to recognize this issue and be educated about it.

Understanding and recognizing Parental Alienation should be made a requisite part of their training, as it would undoubtedly contribute to better decision-making in custody disputes, fostering a family court system that truly upholds the principle of the child's well-being above all else.

In light of this, let's push to make it a necessity for family court professional to take classes on parental alienation. Spread the word and sign this petition today. Together, we can make a change.