At Innovate Care Group, safeguarding is not just a compliance issue or a tick-box exercise — it’s a relational, human commitment. It begins with curiosity and connection. It deepens through empathy and presence. And it is sustained when professionals are supported to care — even in moments of complexity, challenge, and compassion fatigue.
But there’s a subtle, deeply human dynamic that can erode even the strongest of intentions. It’s called malignant alienation. And if left unaddressed, it can quietly undermine the very foundations of safe, compassionate care.
What Is Malignant Alienation?
Malignant alienation is a term that describes the gradual emotional distancing of professionals from individuals who are perceived as challenging or “difficult to help.” It is not usually a deliberate act. In fact, it often begins as an emotional defence — a response to the feelings of frustration, helplessness, or anxiety that can emerge when care becomes complex.
This dynamic can show up in subtle but powerful ways:
- A person’s advocacy is seen as hostility.
- A child’s distress is interpreted as manipulation.
- A parent’s persistence is labelled as paranoia.
- A young person’s withdrawal is mistaken for defiance.
Over time, professionals may find themselves emotionally detaching. The person at the centre of care becomes an object of concern, not a subject of empathy. Labels start to replace stories. Procedures take precedence over presence. And with this drift, the ability to safeguard effectively is diminished.
Why This Matters in Complex Care
At Innovate Care Group, we support individuals with highly complex needs — including neurodivergence, mental health challenges, trauma histories, and behaviours that may challenge. Many of the people we care for have been misunderstood or misrepresented in other settings. They may not communicate in typical ways. Their distress may be expressed through actions rather than words. They may have been let down before — and be hesitant to trust again.
These are the very individuals most vulnerable to malignant alienation. Precisely because their needs are complex, it is easy for emotional exhaustion to set in. It is easy to misinterpret behaviour when we are overwhelmed. And it is easy to fall into patterns of detachment when we don’t feel resourced or supported.
That’s why this issue is not just about individual practice — it’s about organisational culture. We must name the problem to address it. And we must support our teams to stay emotionally connected, especially when it’s hardest.
Real-World Lessons: What Happens When Disconnection Wins
During our Safeguarding Supervisions we’ve been reflecting on some powerful — and painful — stories that illustrate how malignant alienation plays out in real life. These stories are not theoretical. They are lived experiences. And they hold vital lessons.
- Taking Care of Maya (Netflix, 2023)
This documentary tells the story of Maya Kowalski, a young girl with a rare illness whose mother was fiercely advocating for her care. Over time, professionals began to mistrust that advocacy. What started as safeguarding concerns devolved into suspicion, isolation, and ultimately, family separation. The emotional distance between professionals and family widened, and with it, the possibility of compassion-driven care disappeared. - The Fiona Pilkington Case
Fiona Pilkington and her daughter Francesca were subjected to years of harassment and abuse. Despite repeated cries for help, they were labelled as overreacting. Professionals, worn down by repeated reports, began to disengage emotionally. When Fiona took both her and her daughter’s lives in a final act of desperation, it became tragically clear how malignant alienation — masked as “professional boundaries” — had contributed to their isolation.
These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a systemic vulnerability — one that demands awareness, accountability, and action.
How We’re Responding at Innovate Care Group
We believe that emotional safety for our teams is fundamental to physical and psychological safety for those we support. That’s why we’re actively working to create a culture where emotional connection is protected and prioritised.
Here’s what we’re doing:
- Embedding Reflective Supervision
Regular, structured spaces for staff to explore their feelings, challenges, and blind spots. Not as an add-on — but as core practice.
- Using Real-Life Case Learning
Incorporating safeguarding reviews, case studies, and real-world stories into training to help staff recognise the warning signs of emotional drift and alienation.
- Challenging Dehumanising Language
We actively question and reframe language like “non-compliant,” “difficult,” or “attention-seeking,” which often mask pain and reduce people to behaviours.
- Promoting Curiosity Over Judgement
We encourage teams to stay curious. To ask why a behaviour is happening. To look beneath the surface, and to see the human first.
- Supporting Compassionate Boundaries
We equip staff to hold healthy boundaries without detaching emotionally. Boundaries and connection are not opposites — they are partners in effective care.
A Shared Responsibility
Safeguarding is not just a statutory duty — it is a shared, relational endeavour. It asks us to stay open when it would be easier to close off. To remain connected even when we feel depleted. And to remember that the people who challenge us most are often those most in need of compassion.
To do this, we must care for the care team, support reflective spaces, and resist the temptation to dehumanise the people we support when things get tough.
To our families, commissioners, and colleagues: thank you for holding us accountable to this vision.
To our care professionals: thank you for choosing connection over distance, time and time again.
Together, we’re building a safeguarding culture rooted not just in compliance — but in care.
If you would like to know more about our practices, or have a question or concern, please contact our team directly. We’re always here to talk.
