[Solved] Change The Laws Surrounding Children's Rights To T

Hi there

I'm sure you will find some signatures here.

Is this petition personal to you? Are you being denied contact with your child? If you've had a read through the posts here you will see that we are able to advise and support many Dads (and some Mums and Grandmothers) through the court process. If you would like to share your story with us perhaps we may be able to help.

Hi there - thank you for the encouragement. There is so much I could say but in short it's like this:

In short, following the failed relationship with her mother (which ended in January 2013), I have been having regular all-day Saturday access with my daughter. This has been happening since July 2013.

My ex-partner and I are both on the birth certificates and so up until the involvement of the court approximately seven weeks ago, we have both had equal parental rights. This however hasn't impacted my daughter, son and I as my ex-partner has always worn the trousers as is the case in many situations where parents separate and children are involved - and I have had to accept her terms or not see my daughter at all.

During this term of access I have had concerns for my daughter who is four and a half but due to the violent and nature of my ex-partner and her family I didn't feel I could take my concerns to the authorities as I didn't trust that my ex-partner wouldn't get to hear that I had and knew that she would prohibit me from any more contact with my children if she did.

However, approximately seven weeks ago, about half an hour into her access visit, my daughter told me (showed me actually) that she had been strangled by her step-dad and then two weeks afterwards, that it had happened again - and I then acted on it.

It was all reported to not just the NSPCC who had been the body I had been reporting incidents to up until then, but also social services and the police. I also let my ex-partner know that I wouldn't be taking her back to her - and why.

Since that point, I have been struggling to even count in the system and was forced to take my daughter back to the same abusive environment even though she was really scared to return and both the step-dad and her Mum have opted for lying about it.

My aim is to go for full custody in court, but at the moment, my efforts to secure representation either through the legal aid process or pro-bono unit has failed and after having seen the local CAB last week, again to no avail - now publicising it and aiming to change the law seems to be the only hope.

There's no reason why you can't self represent, it's very doable and we have many members that have taken this route. Have you submitted your application to court yet?

Have a read of the stickys at the top of the legal eagle section, there's quite a bit of information about self repping and the court process.

You might like to attend a Families Need Fathers meeting in your area, here's a link to their webpage where you wil find details of meetings in your area, you will get face to face support and advice and meet other parents going through similar to you.

www.fnf.org.uk/help-and-support-2/local-branch-meetings

You might also consider using a McKenzie Friend, there are some good ones who will help you through the court process, they can sit with you in the hearings and are sometimes allowed to speak on your behalf.

Thank you for your input. The first link asks for payment.

I will definitely check out the forum posts and see of there is anything that I have missed.

Thank you.

Jack.

I've never known anyone pay to attend the meetings! You have to pay if you want to join FNF but there's no need to do that to attend the meetings.

You are quite right of course. A quick reaction in the face of more pound signs...sorry...

The McKenzie Friend service is interesting. I certainly have had enough of being laughed at by professionals just because i don't have the gift of the gab - and it's been frustrating to learn that without it, it is easy to be pretty much rendered impotent.

Thank you 🙂