MEDIATION AT SCHOOL AS A TOOL FOR OVERCOMING THE PARENTAL ALIENATION PHENOMENON IN RELATION TO THE FATHER: METHODOLOGY AND CHALLENGES

Introduction: School as a Neutral Territory in Family Conflict

The phenomenon of parental alienation (PARENTAL ALIENATION, PA) represents a situation in which a child, under the influence of one of the parents (usually the one with whom they live), unjustifiably rejects and demonstrates hostility towards the other parent. School, being a key social institution in a child's life, often involuntarily gets involved in this conflict, becoming either a field for its escalation or - with a competent approach - a unique platform for its resolution. School mediation adapted to the specifics of parental alienation can become an effective tool for restoring communication, protecting the child's interests, and preventing the use of the educational system as a tool for pressure on the father.

1. Specificity of Parental Alienation towards the Father and the Role of School

Parental alienation towards fathers is often exacerbated by gender stereotypes and established social practices. The mother, as the more frequently residing parent, has greater opportunities to influence the child's daily perception and control over their communication. In this situation, school is at risk of becoming an agent that inadvertently strengthens alienation through:

Automatic perception of the mother as the "main" contact.

Uncritical acceptance of information from one parent.

Inaction when observing signs of parental alienation in a child (refusal to communicate with the father, demonstrative hostility, paradoxical accusations).

Thus, school needs a special protocol of action where mediation is the central element.

2. Model of School Mediation in Parental Alienation: Principles and Limitations

Classical mediation, based on voluntariness and equality of the parties, requires modifications in the situation of acute parental alienation.

Key principles:

Priority of the child's interests (child-centered approach). Mediation aims not to reconcile the parents at any cost, but to restore the child's ability to have safe and full relationships with both parents.

Neutrality and impartiality of the school. The mediator (school psychologist, specially trained social educator, or external invited specialist) must be free from any alliances. This requires strict internal school policy from the administration.

Understanding of the dynamics of parental alienation. The mediator must understand the mechanisms of indoctrination, the symptomatology ("black-and-white" thinking of the child, the phenomenon of "independent thinker") and avoid actions that may strengthen alienation (such as direct pressure on the child to meet with the father).

Multi-level and step-by-step. The process rarely starts with a joint meeting. More often, separate preliminary work with each parent and child separately is required.

Limitations:

Mediation is not possible in the presence of proven violence or severe mental illness in one of the parents.

The process requires high qualifications of the mediator, understanding the psychology of high-conflict divorce and parental alienation.

Success depends heavily on the willingness of the "alienating" parent (usually the mother) to engage in dialogue. The school can create conditions, but cannot force.

3. Stages of Mediation Process in School in Parental Alienation

Stage 1. Problem identification and invitation to participate. The initiator can be the father, a teacher who has noticed changes in the child's behavior, or a psychologist. The school sends an official, neutral invitation to a consultation to the parents, emphasizing concern about the child's condition, not the analysis of their conflict.

Stage 2. Individual meetings (causation). The mediator meets separately with the father and mother. Goals:

Listen to positions without evaluating their truthfulness.

Identify "hot spots" (schedule issues, academic performance, medical care).

Formulate a common goal: "How can we, despite our disagreements, ensure your daughter a peaceful study and support from both sides?"

Conclude a preliminary agreement on communication rules through the school (for example, using a common chat with the class teacher, where all important messages are duplicated).

Stage 3. Work with the child. Conducted by a school psychologist in a therapeutic, not an interrogative format. The task is to give the child a voice without burdening them with the responsibility for choosing between parents. Projective techniques, family drawing, stories are used.

Stage 4. Joint meeting (facilitation). Conducted only if the parties are ready. Focus on specific, subject matters of school life where cooperation is necessary:

Develop a unified protocol for information dissemination: who, how, and within what time limits receives information about studies, meetings, events.

Agree on participation in school events: how the father and mother can alternately or separately attend celebrations to avoid creating stress for the child.

Plan of action in a crisis situation (child's illness, conflict in the class).

Stage 5. Conclusion of a written agreement and monitoring. The reached agreements are fixed in a written memorandum. The school appoints a responsible person (class teacher or psychologist) for soft monitoring of their implementation and conducting periodic "reviews".

4. Advantages of School Mediation and Examples

Neutral territory: School is a familiar and safe environment for the child and less emotionally charged than court or the apartment of one of the parents.

Efficiency and free of charge (compared to court proceedings).

Focus on the future and specifics: Instead of clarifying past grievances - planning specific steps.

Example of successful practice: In some schools in Finland and Canada, there are programs "Joint Parenting after Divorce", where school mediators help parents develop a "Parental Cooperation Plan in School" that becomes an appendix to their joint agreement. This reduces the number of conflict situations by 40-60%.

5. Risks and Ethical Dilemmas

Manipulation of the process: One party may use mediation to gather information or demonstrate pseudo-cooperation.

Mediator burnout: Work with high-conflict cases requires supervision.

Bounds of competence: School should not replace the court or guardianship authorities. If mediation fails, the teacher must clearly record signs of parental alienation for providing a neutral statement to the court about the observed behavior of the child and parents.

Conclusion: From Response to Systematic Prevention

Mediation in school in the case of parental alienation towards the father is not a one-time "conversation", but an element of systematic work to create an inclusive and safe environment for children from separated families. Its implementation requires training of staff, development of internal regulations, and close interaction with family psychologists and courts. Successful school mediation does not always lead to the full restoration of relationships, but it is capable of:

Stop using the child as a tool in the conflict.

Restore functional communication between parents on school issues.

Give the child a signal that the school sees his problem and creates a protected space for him.

Form the father's experience of legitimate and respected participation in the education of the child.

Thus, the school, taking on the role of a mediator, transforms from a passive observer or involuntary participant in the conflict to an active protector of the child's interests and a guide of the principle of equal and responsible parenthood, which is a cornerstone in overcoming the phenomenon of parental alienation.

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