Why do the family and juvenile dependency courts routinely separate siblings from each other?

“Divide and conquer”.  Think back to The Parent Trap, the movie where Lindsay Lohan plays both twins. The parents split the girls apart and raised them on different continents, each creating their “own” only child. The film treats it lightly, but the underlying idea is disturbing. By the end, the twins reunite, protect each other, and even help their parents see the harm they caused—both to their children and to themselves.

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)—the network of judges, attorneys, psychologists, custody evaluators, mediators, and forensic investigators who shape family‑court policy—still refuses to take a clear stance on sibling support. They claim that “four decades of social science and child development research” is still inconclusive about the risks and resilience of siblings separated by family and juvenile dependency courts because it supports their own interest  – “Divide and conquer”.

Siblings should be encouraged to maintain contact with each other, not intentionally separated. Sibling contact fosters emotional, informational and instumental support throughout their lives. Close and supportive sibling relationships are crucial for well-being and relationship quality, offering benefits such as less depressions, greater life satisfaction, and better relationships with others.  Sibling relationship can buffer the negative impact of a difficult or unsatisfying parent-child relationship. Encouraging siblings to share and support each other strengthens emotional bonds, improves social skills, and reduces sibling rivalry and conflict. Warm sibling relationships provide a source of material and emotional support, protecting against loneliness and depression.