If at all possible parents should try to co-parent and stay out of court. Family courts the world over are not sufficiently knowledgeable about this issue and they are certainly not geared up to support families with this type of psychological problem.
“The court process is not one that either adds value to the welfare of the child or is in any way beneficial for the parents”
Sir Andrew McFarlane President of the Family Division in his Resolution Keynote speech on 05/04/19 regarding cases that go through courts where no safeguarding issues exist.
Many parents have no clue they have no right to see their child when a relationship ends. When they get to court they may find a number of false or exaggerated allegations are made against them by their ex. Their child, who is under intense pressure from the controlling parent, turns against them too and may make false or exaggerated allegations of their own. Without an effective support service in place the rejected parent will quickly become shocked and disappointed at how little courts help families in this position.
Cases can go on for years, family court judges do not enforce their own orders, further emotional and psychological damage will be done to both parents and children. They are given very little real help to resolve the issue. It also costs a small fortune. This is why, if at all possible, parents need to do everything they can to work with the other parent and to support their children as best they can.
Unfortunately, where children have not had a relationship with a parent for 3 months, it will take significantly more private and state resources to establish contact and a parent may have no choice but to go to family court. Where a child has emotionally cutoff from a parent, the longer they are left in this state the more emotional and psychological damage will be done so if a parent has the emotional and or financial reserves to go to court they should.