[Solved] Section 7 not looking good

.. whilst going with the CAFCASS recommendations and working with them is something I would advise, I do think it’s important that you try and make a strong case for direct contact regardless... recommendations are a guide and not written in stone.

You can state that you respect the report but that indefinite, indirect contact would send the wrong message to the children. That you feel contact could be reintroduced gently with a short period of indirect contact and then supervised contact centre sessions, to allow a report to done showing how you and the children interact, with a hearing in 6 months to review and hopefully progress. This would fit well with the role of a family assistance order. Don’t lose hope.

Best of luck

Got the written report through this afternoon. The recommendations include attending a parenting programme and writing a letter of apology to the kids (still deny all allegations, but going to do as they say) BUT they do recommend supervised contact. The findings admit some evidence of alienation which I am happy about

How often do the court ignore Cafcass recommendations? If I come out of my hearing on Friday with supervised contact then I would see that as a win - what a difference 9 months make! I started this process because I wasn't happy with my one day a fortnight!

What if the kids don't want to cooperate with supervised contact, or can she argue against it in the next hearing? I just want the court to see I am doing everything to cooperate and just want to see my boys

Ah not quite as bleak as you thought, good news.

All I can say is that courts will always want to facilitate contact with both parents, if CAFCASS have recommended supervised contact, then the odds are in your favour that the court would go with that.

It might help to look into local contact centres, find out if there’s a waiting list for a space etc. Here’s a link to the main contact centre website, where you should be able to find out about facilities in your area.

www.naccc.org.uk

Children will often tell the resident parent what they think they want to hear, it could well be the case that the children will be happy to see you again, just be happy to see them, thoughtful in your approach and keep it all very light.

She may well try and argue against it, just as you are entitled to push for it, at least the report is on your side in this respect.

It might also be a good idea to draft the letter to your children, if the court orders it you can then say that you have one prepared in the event it was agreed.

If the court want to close the case, I would ask for the case to remain open, so that they can read the reports of how the contact went (if supervised is ordered) , if contact is favourable, it can be be progressed at the next review hearing. Hopefully, you won’t need to do that, the court will lay out a defined schedule of how contact will progress through the different stages and list further hearings.

All the best

Thanks again Mojo, can I ask one more thing?

Can I present a letter or statement to the court upon my arrival? I would like to put it across that since reading the section 7 I understand that the children are central to this case and that I want to move on with their recommendations, despite my disagreement with the allegations made in her statement. I have already used my initiative to make arrangements to attend the parenting course from this week and I want them to know this. I also have drafted a letter to the boys, as recommended by CAFCASS, and want to provide this to the court in advance.

Appreciate your thoughts

Chris

I think you’re actions speak loudly of your desire to put things back on track, it shows you’re willing to do whatever it takes to be in your children’s lives and are willing to work with the recommendations.

I think it would be useful to the court if you provide a brief two page position statement, or a letter, if preferred, to tell them of the developments in your case, just remember to have copies for the other parties involved.

You don’t need to harp on about what has been said previously, it’s all about moving it forward at this point.

All the best