Welcome to the DAD.Info forum: Important Information – open to read:
Our forum aims to provide support and guidance where it can, however we may not always have the answer. The forum is not moderated 24 hours a day, so If you – or someone you know – are being harmed or in immediate danger of being harmed, call the police on 999.
Alternatively, if you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123.
If you are worried about you or someone you know is at risk of harm, please click here: How we can help
Good luck with it all. There is a guide on the advicenow.org.uk website on representing yourself when the other side has a lawyer. There is also a guide about child contact. Both are worth a read
FHDRA can be uneventful and sometimes dissapointing if sat before a legal advisor.
In a nutshell it's a directions hearing to narrow down what the issues are e.g
-Domestic abuse
-Who should the child live with and have contact with.
-Safeguarding
-Interim contact
At the hearing either of the following will be ordered:
-Fact finding hearing
-Section 7 Welfare Report
-Drug or Alcohol testing
-Psychological examination
However don't be alarmed, the court only orders what relevant and proportionate.
Don't over think or be too nervous. At FHDRA and DRA, the court does not determine facts e.g whether abuse has taken place. Therefore you will not be cross examined or expected to reply to specific allegations.
As a respondent, your success will be:
-In making it clear what your availability for contact is during the proceedings.
-Saying nothing or as little as possible about her allegations.
Welcome to the DAD.info forum.
We don’t like to set ‘rules’, but to make sure that you and the other dads are kept safe, we have some requests. When engaging with the forum, please be aware of the following:
- The forum is not moderated 24 hours per day.
- Many of the moderators do so on a voluntary basis. Whilst they may be able to provide some guidance, advice or support, they may not be able to deal with specifics.
- We are not an emergency crisis service so if you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call emergency services.
- If you are concerned about the safety of a child, please click here to find the support you can get for them (link to new page)
- If you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
We hope you find this forum a supportive environment and thank you for joining us.