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Hi Newbie here!
I will explain my situation..this may take a while!
I am a dad to three children from one mum who is now my ex of two years. She has been involved with Social Services since October last year and my children were placed on CIN in August (Children in Need Plan) due to the mother having sucidal thoughts and 5 overdoses since October, two of which took place with the children in the house (only one is known by SS).
Since we split over two years ago I have my children every weekend and occasionally a weekday, I was in regular contact with them and support them financially extremely well.
She lives with her fiancee (year old relationship) and they have a child togeather who is under child protection as she tried to OD and jump off a bridge when baby was inside her. The childrens mum relationship to the father is hit or miss - they split up in August however miracalously got back together when thei rchild was put on child protection.
I have attended every SS meeting and am seen as protective factor in times of crisis as SS have no concerns about my parenting HOWEVER my current partner has been previously known to SS and her son lives with her parents under a SGO (special gardianship order) due to the fact she couldnt displine her child and this was classe das neglect.
I am awaiting for my partner to be assessed and the social worker has told me that no contact should take place between her and my children until the assesment has taken place (now been two months). She lives with me and everytime I have the children (even in times of crisis) she has to disappear to her family becuase she hasnt been assessed yet.
Yesterday my children met my partner for 3 minutes...it was a car journey to the train station as she was unalbe to walk due to sickness. I told the childrens mum this has happened and now she has stopped all unsupervised contact with my children due to this which seems very unfair!
My relationshi with the chldrens mum is hit or miss - some weeks we are fine other times I get alot of abuse purely on the fact I am in relationship. Prior to my current partner I receved regualr abuse threats etc about girlfriends who have no history with SS and this has been ongoing for years now.
As a mother the childrens mum is "okay". Living standards are good however I know she has financial problems and only last week they didnt have any oil for the heating or hot wter for a period of 6 days and the week prior she asked me for £3 to feed my children...
She is a very differcult person to deal with and has been medically diagnosed with mutiple personaility disorder / bi polar.
My question are: -
Can she stop unsupervised contact just like that legally without a court order?
Was this actually classed as contact with my children as my partner never even talked to my children - she just sat in the car for 3 minutes!
Does this affect my protective factor?
Do I have a strong case in taking full custordy of my children due to the erratic nature of the childrens mum?
Any other advice would be appreciated!
I also am named on all birth certificates for my three children and have PR for them...
My current partner has unfounded hearsay acquisitions about her past. Her case was closed a few months ago by SS and was not considered a threat to her child or any other child!
I would speak to the childrens services about the matter - if they weren't involved, then your ex could stop contact and force you to go to court to get it reinstated (assuming mediation didn't work) , but childrens services obviously aren't happy with her and they may have other ideas. I would say that a short car journey does still class as contact, but again, tell CS the circumstances.
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