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Spurgeons and Dad.Info doesn’t investigate reports of abuse or neglect. But below, you can find advice on who to contact if you have concerns about a child or young person.
Reporting a concern
It can be difficult to know what to do if you think a child is at risk. It’s important to remember that if you’ve spotted things that don’t seem right, others will have too. Speaking up can make sure that child gets help as soon as possible.
The sooner you contact your local children’s social care duty team, the quicker they can act. They’re available 24 hours a day, and can make an anonymous report if that feels safer. If a child is in immediate danger, please call the police straight away by dialling 999.
Report child abuse or neglect to your local council
Use these links to get in touch with your local council:
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Hi there
This must be distressing for you and the children, thankfully you have full residency of the children and if you consider that the children are at risk it is your responsibility, as the parent with care, to protect them. You can excercise this by stopping contact with the mother and her husband.
I would certainly call the police about the abuse you received in front of the children and the fact that you were all in fear and the children were distressed. Also report the incident that happened over the weekend and how terrified your son was. Ask them to log the incident as you are suspending contact and will also be contacting children's services. Make sure they are fully aware of the risks to the children and the actions you are taking to protect them.
You will also need to contact the school to tell them that you are suspending contact and why and ask them not to allow the mother to pick the children up. This will mean that you will have to do this yourself and it might be a good idea to pick them up a little earlier for a short while to prevent a scene should the mother turn up.
You should also inform the mother that you are suspending contact and briefly state the reasons why. If she had an order for contact, she can apply to the court for enforcement but it would be better for you to make an application for an urgent Prohibited Steps Order to counter any action by the mother.
Hopefully Childrens services should support you, if need be you should remind them that the children's welfare is paramount and whilst there are serious safeguarding issues it is your duty and responsibility as the parent with care to protect them.
Here's a link to the Children's law advice contact details, it might be helpful to give them a call and ask them for advice too.
http://childlawadvice.org.uk/clas/contact-child-law-advice/
Best of luck with this and please do let us know how you get on.
..to be honest, that does sound like you were fobbed off! They can log incidents without making arrests and "making a situation worse" is no way to deal with a potentially criminal act. You could call the WPC and say that having had time to think about it you do think a visit to the party would send the right message and you would feel happier if this were to happen. State you were threatened in front of the children and with no comeback for that they may feel empowered to continue with the same behaviour, which has very real potential to escalate and you don't want to wait until something worse happens when a visit could head that off.
I got your PM...I'll message you.