Parental Gatekeeping: Overview of Forensic Model and Conceptual Framework

What is gatekeeping? Parental gatekeeping refers to how parents’ attitudes and actions affect the involvement and quality of the relationship between the other parent and child in either a positive or negative way. Scholars have proposed a gatekeeping continuum that varies in degrees of facilitative to restrictive on the issue of supporting the other-parent–child relationship.

Both Parents. Both parents participate in gatekeeping and their pattern of behavior can be cooperative, conflicted, or a mixture. The goal of the gatekeeping forensic and co-parenting educational services is to promote cooperative co-parenting for the children’s best interests and also to reduce the stress for both parents. Dr. Austin tries to help parents learn to compartmentalize any strong negative feelings they may hold towards the other parent from their co-parenting behaviors that need to be constructive, problem solving, and child focused.

The Gatekeeping Continuum. On the facilitative extreme of the continuum a parent is being proactive and inclusive of the other parent. On the restrictive extreme would be extreme alienating behaviors by a parent, or even abducting the child.

In all of the gatekeeping services listed on the website, the parents receive education about the gatekeeping model, including learning about the supporting research in a limited way.

Why is Gatekeeping Important? Gatekeeping is important because of research that strongly shows that children of divorce are likely to be better adjusted and enjoy the best long-term outcomes when they enjoy quality relationships with both parents. The gatekeeping forensic model explains this research finding in terms of the concept of Social Capital that is associated with each parent’s contributions to the child’s well being and development. Social Capital refers to the important psychosocial resources the child receives from the important relationships in his or her life. Parents are the main source of this social capital.

Gatekeeping is part of a common factor in state statutes that define best interests of the child. This best interest factor concerns how each parent supports the other-parent child relationships. State laws also often declare that it is state’s social policy to support the continuing involvement of both parents.

Lists of specific examples of RG and FG can be downloaded from the website.

Restrictive Gatekeeping (RG) refers to actions by a parent that are intended to interfere with the other parent’s involvement with the child and would predictably negatively affect the quality of their relationship.

Facilitative Gatekeeping (FG) occurs when a parent acts to support continuing involvement and maintenance of a meaningful relationship with the child. Facilitating behaviors are proactive, inclusive, and demonstrate for the child that the parent values the other parent’s contributions.

Gate-Opening and Gate-Closing Behaviors.  RG behaviors are examples of gate-closing and so are expected to not in the child’s best interests. They hinder the free flow of a parent’s psychosocial resources to the child. FG behaviors are examples of gate-opening behaviors and so are expected to promote a child’s access to a parent’s social capital.

In all of the gatekeeping services, parents are educated about identifying RG and FG specific behaviors. There is discussion about how each parent has the responsibility to “manage the gate” in a constructive way in order to promote cooperative co-parenting for the child’s benefit.

Protective Gatekeeping (PG) is a form of RG that arises when a parent acts to limit the other parent’s involvement or is critical of the other parent’s parenting skills because of concern about possible harm to the child. PG is defined in terms of the reasons a parent wants to limit access or involvement by the other parent, or is not very supportive of the other parent’s relationship with the child. A history of substantial intimate partner violence, harsh parenting, substance or alcohol abuse, or a major mental disorder are common reasons for one parent to want to limit the other’s access. See Dr. Austin’s forensic models for understanding and assessing intimate partner violence in child custody disputes. www.child-custody-services.com

When Restrictive Gatekeeping is Justified. Sometimes there are valid reasons for a parent’s restrictive attitudes and behaviors towards the other parent. The RG may be justified. The parent might have an alcohol problem or coercive in his/her parenting or co-parenting.

When Restrictive Gatekeeping is Unjustified. In other instances the parent’s concerns about harm and the child’s well-being may not be justified. Sometimes it is unclear and the parents will have legitimate differences of opinion on an issue, such as with a disagreement about overnights for a young child.

In the gatekeeping services, Dr. Austin directs a discussion about the process of justification of RG positions on issues and behaviors. Appreciating different perspectives is encouraged.

Restrictive Gatekeeping or Alienation? In high conflict cases, there often are allegations of alienating behaviors by a parent and an attempt by the parent to alienate the child from the parent who is voicing his or her dissatisfaction with the other parent. These alienating behaviors are expected to hinder the other parent’s involvement with the child and the quality of the parent-child relationship. So alienating behaviors are always a form of unjustified restrictive gatekeeping. The term of alienation is often used very loosely and in most situations the problem really is one of restrictive gatekeeping. Alienation often involves significant psychological disturbance in the alienating parent and in his/her relationship with the child. If the child is not resisting or refusing to have contact with the other parent, then the child is not alienated.

The gatekeeping, co-parenting education service for the high conflict parents includes an assessment to distinguish between restrictive gatekeeping and alienation.

Gatekeeping in Relocation cases and Long Distance Parenting. Gatekeeping is at the center of most relocation cases where a parent wants to relocate with the child to a new community. There often is litigation and a trial as the nonmoving parent opposes the relocation of the child. The moving parent needs to convince the court that she or he will be supportive of the other parent-child relationship, or be a facilitative gatekeeper.

The gatekeeping service for relocation and long distance parenting provides co-parenting education on gatekeeping with the challenges of long distance and coaching on how to make the court’s order and long distance parenting plan work for the parents and child.

Gatekeeping Assessment in Child Custody Evaluation. In a parenting evaluation the court’s expert – evaluator assesses the gatekeeping factor in predicting future co-parenting behaviors. The pattern of gatekeeping behaviors is considered in making recommendations to the court on parenting time and decision-making.

Gatekeeping as Centerpiece in Co-Parenting Education.  Gatekeeping is the starting point and organizing framework for all of the co-parenting services and for S.A.F.E.