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Hi all, hoping someone can advise.
My 13yr old son has residency with myself and my partner (it was a very long court battle, mother narcissistic and everything that goes along with that. We went through [censored], investigated by police because of all her allegations, social services always on the phone, but stayed calm and honest and always put my son first. In a nutshell, CAFCASS saw through his mother and strongly advised he should live with us. Hope this gives hope to many of you)
She has now (all done in secret) moved nearly 200 miles away, which is making contact difficult for our son. He doesn't want to live with her but she is his mum and he still wants to continue contact.
She has alternate weekend contact but absolutely refuses to drive that far and is trying to send random men to collect him, and I'm refusing to allow him to go with them but I'm happy for her to collect him. The court order states she is not to leave him with random people (this was something she did regularly, people she'd only just met and didn't even know their names) and that she must stay with him at all times during contact.
As I'm refusing to allow him to travel with these random men, I know she will take me to court again (she does this every 6 months or so) so I know there will be another court date at some point soon.
As she now lives about 4 counties away, if she applies to court, will I have to travel there or as the current court order is under my county, would she have to travel back here?
My partner and I are struggling financially as legal fees have cost us over £20k so far, so trying to work out if it is worth me applying to change the court order. To go there I would have to take unpaid days off (I'm self employed) and pay £200 for every train journey to her county as my van would never make it! If she would have to come back to the issuing county I will let her pay.
Hope someone can help.
Also, if the above sounds familiar to anyone I'm happy to chat and help if I can. Many thanks.
Hi,
the way the child arrangement applications work is that it's based on where the children live. so it will be a family court that is local to you, that will be dealing with it. I think perhaps you leave it to her if she wants to apply to court. I think your doing the right thing by not letting your child go with strangers.
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