[Solved] Child Arrangement Order.

That must be upsetting for you... have CAFCASS offered you any alternatives to the contact centre? If it’s ordered that you are to have supervised contact, they should look at other options.

If CAFCASS can’t sort something else out for you, it might be useful to write to the court, making the letter/email for the attention of the judge that made the order. Explain that the contact centre has refused your attendance and ask for an urgent return to court for new directions... maybe speak to your solicitor about it.

In the meantime, think about how some other form of contact might work, do you or the mother have a trusted family member or friend that could supervise the contact? Are there other centres in your locality that might agree to offer you a place, somewhere a little further away perhaps?

As you know, it’s impossible to predict outcomes, if the FoF is found against you, depending on the seriousness of the allegations, you may be required to attend a DVPP course, as to whether contact would proceed during the course, is a question that can’t be answered I’m afraid, but if you can get supervised contact underway before the hearing in September, you’ll have a better chance of maintaining that, hopefully.

All the best

Hi Mojo,

Judge has asked me and my solicitor to find independent social worker. I have found one and willing to pay. Cafcass wantend his CV which he emailed to Cafcass. I am now waiting for Cafcass to approve him. Other party refused contact at every stage. Even try to delay the Fact Finding hearing by asking Judge extra time to make allegations. Judge said you know the allegations it has been going for 6 months so make your allegations within 14 days.

In Cafcass report they said that if Finding goes against me, then I should go on Anger Management course.

Kind Regards

Ah ok... I think that anger management courses aren’t as serious as the DVPP course.

From what you’re saying the judge does seem to have a fairly firm hold on the proceedings at this point, which is encouraging.

It might be a good idea to try and get back into court for new directions concerning the situation over supervised contact, I would speak to your solicitor about it... the judge wanted contact to restart, so I think it’s important to try and address this sooner rather than later.

All thebest

Hi Mojo,

The problem is this was my 3 hearing before 2 different jufges. Now in September the Judge said that she is on holidays and there will be a different Judge for Fact Finding hearing.

Do you know how long the Anger management course last?

Thanks

Hi Arman,

that is very annoying. Did your barrister/solicitor try to make case against fact finding?

I did not have to go through with fact findings. other dads on here who have, may be able to better advise. more hoops to jump through! all I can suggest is be honest. if nothing serious has happened and findings are not very negative, then you should be able to get supervised contact. see if you can find another contact centre thats willing you to take you on in the meantime.

if your taking the SPIP separated parents course, that is just a 1 day, 4 hour course. some people choose to do over 2 days.

Hi Bill337,

My solicitor tried but mother and her solicitor was adamant that Fact finding needs to be done. I am doing Triple P parenting course because my ex was saying that I can't look after my daughter.

For FOF hearing ex is saying that she has 4 witness statements all from her relatives. When she took my daughter away I went to there houses to request them to get involved. Now they are giving statements against me. Plus my ex wife had a minor bruise on her rist. Now she is saying that I grabbed her hand and caused that bruise. I did not even touch her. I was living in her parents house as we were looking for mortgage. Now her dad is giving the statement aginst me that I slapped my daughter. Proper BS.

Any advise please?

seems all you can do is deny the pathetic lies. see if you have any records, e.g. if they say you did such and such on a certain date, do you have any evidence that you were somewhere else that day, out of the country, holiday?

if you have any evidence of your ex using child as a weapon against you or neglect, denying contact, then this is the time to find and produce it.

info on FOF:

Fact Finding Hearing

A Fact Finding Hearing is a type of court hearing that considers the evidence surrounding allegations, and the court will make a decision as to whether alleged incidents did or did not happen. Evidence is heard, which will normally include parties being cross-examined. After having heard the evidence, the judge will decide whether the alleged incidents happened or not.

Most commonly, these allegations concern domestic abuse. Domestic abuse includes neglect, emotional and physical harm and violence.

When making a decision the judge has to consider the allegations made by each side. It is for the person making the allegations to prove that they are true. The Judge will consider on the balance of probabilities whether the allegations are true or not. This means that the judge will consider whether it is more likely than not that the allegations are true.

In preparation for a Fact Finding Hearing the person making the allegations will be asked to send a list of the allegations to the court. The list should be:

signed and dated
each incident should be numbered and set out in date order stating the date of the incident and details of what happened and where
details of any witnesses to the incident and involvement of the police and/or medical services
the list should contain a statement that it is true.
The person against whom the allegations are made will then be asked to respond to the allegations within a set timeframe. You should respond to each allegation in turn, setting out your account of the incident or stating that the allegation is denied.

You will both be asked to make written statements based on your evidence setting out what you wish to say to the court. You can also have witnesses give evidence with the court’s permission.

https://childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/hearings-in-the-family-court/

Hi

It's frustrating when there is a lack of judicial continuity but it sounds like they've got a good grip of the case.

Anger Management courses can be anything from an intense programme to running over several weeks. There isn't a particular format that any course leaders have to stick to.

Its worth googling providers in your local area.

Hi Yoda,

Thank you for your response. If I do anger management course before fact finding hearing, is it good or bad? I have not seen my daughter for 6 months and my fact finding is not till september. I am a desperate dad and my ex and her solicitor is doong everything to delay the process.

If I do the course, will it go in my favour or aginst me in this case?

Thanks

There's no set rules on that. If it's looking likely to happen and you don't want to delay, what's the harm. You can tell the court in a statement that you did not want any unnecessary hold ups and therefore took the initiative to undertake a course but this is by no means an admission of guilt.

Hi there,

Just a quick update. I have found an independent Social worker who is willing to supervised the contact. I am willing to pay him. Do you think is it worth going back to court now with his CV.

Kind Regards

hi Arman,

thats sounds good. do you have email/phone of cafcass officer? You can first speak to them about it, and they should be able to write to the court.