Children''s views need to be seen in light of the background and all the family circumstances.
IF a child doesn''t want to go to school because they don''t feel like it or because they are worried about not having done their homework a sensible parent would insist they went. However, if a child is being constantly bullied, attempts to resolve the issue with the school have failed and the child is depressed insisting a child goes to school can have disastrous results.
Not all resistance to contact with a separated parent is alienation. There are children whose resistance is based on real past events they can describe. Children who witness abuse may become anxious or show other signs of post traumatic stress and need psychological treatment. In this case it''s unlikely that
mediation or any direct contact is in the interests of the child unless there is substantial change in the behaviour of the contact parent.
Has there been a finding of fact hearing? If there is evidence of abuse and it is as you say a court may well make no order for direct contact until your ex takes some responsibility for the consequences of his actions and completes a DV perpetrators programme or anger management.