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Nobody can really say what is going to be ordered - that S7 report is going to have most of the answers for you. Try, until you receive that, to calm your and your son's mind. Easier said than done, I know - been there.
In general, if there are no safeguarding concerns, the Court will want to get contact going again. Given that it has been a year, they may want that to be supervised initially as a "re-introduction" but they may agree that you do the supervising!
As far as your grandson not remembering you or or son - don't worry about that. My children were 4 months old when their mother took them (twins). I next saw them six months later in a contact centre. They came to me and knew me, the contact reports and the judge remarked on this and how obvious it was that there was a bond. The point is, if, at just 4 months old children retain that bond and those memories for so long, I am sure that at 4 years old everything is a whole lot stronger.
I know how you feel now. I know the desperation and the havoc this all causes in your life. It will always be there as one of the most unpleasant experiences ever for you but the pain will fade and hopefully once contact starts again, you will have happier times.
What the mother has or hasn't told your grandson is a worry but it isn't relevant at the moment. The only thing that is relevant is that you continue to work towards getting contact re-instated.
When the S7 comes in, get some advice on the content - either from us here or a solicitor. The report will have specific recommendations as to how contact should proceed.
Above all, use these long periods of time where nothing is happening - between hearings etc - to work on yourselves in terms of looking after your own sanity and well being. Your grandson needs that and so do you.
Nothing I can say will dull the pain or the injustice. I'm afraid you just have to get used to that. Not fair or right I know - but it is what it is 🙁
Will we get to see the Section 7 report before the court date (October).
The order that asks for the S7 should have a due by date on it. "CAFCASS will prepare a S7 report to consider blah blah by XXX date" - something like that.
Just checked... 10th September.
thanks
It should be delivered to your son via Egress Switch. He will have had an email invitation to sign up for this when he received his first CAFCASS email.
If he doesn't have that all set up, he can call CAFCASS and they'll help him deal with it.
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