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
Desperately sad and worried dad seeking urgent help .
Mother left taking our baby a year ago saying wanted divorce. Dad and baby had close and loving bond, thought mother suffering post-natal depression, as behaviour became erratic and hostile.
Been nightmare year, defending her false allegations of DV against her & child. Police, social services took no action & application for non- mol dismissed.
Filed c100 for shared parenting order. She wants me to only have contact in fortnightly supported contact centre.Had 10 sessions in 10 months. She filed c1a repeating same false allegations of dv.
At FHDRA, judge ordered fact finding hearing and interim weekly contact in community and my home 'professionally supervised with reports' and I must pay for this.
I found one organisation & costs are unaffordable £400 for 4 hrs.
How can a non resident dad ever build up a bond with a baby with such limited contact. It's great to be seeing my toddler away from noisy contact centres but it seems the legal system is not interested in supporting the non-resident parent to maintain a meaningful relationship. I have nightmares that however hard I try my lovely child is slipping away from my loving arms because of the mother's concerted efforts to alienate my daughter by preventing contact and the delays in the legal system.
I owe £20k debt in wasted legal fees and am struggling to pay my rent after also having to pay £1100 pcm for half mortgage & maintenance. I volunteered to leave mat home to let mother & child live there til it's sale.
Does anyone know of affordable providers in West London area?
The court did not specify what is meant by 'professional' - so does professional have to be a fully qualified social worker?
The requirement is to observe and report on father's ability to provide care for toddler's needs and the child's relationship with father.
It doesn't have to be a social worker . Its anyone I think that is qualified to supervise you with your kids. sometimes theres centres that rely on charity donations to keep going . I think they just need certain qualifications and willing to write a report. The problem the judge has at the moment is that the final hearing hasn't happened yet where he can order unsupervised contact and your child is under the age of 2. Life gets easier once child is over 2 and there are no safeguarding concerns
Thank you Warwickshire1.
Just to be clear, since separation after many months of mother refusing my requests for contact, she then agreed to contact but in contact centre only - supported not supervised so centre don't provide reports other than attendance times.
At c100 first hearing, judge ordered 'professionally supervised contact in the community and my house. But I must organise and pay for!
Are you saying I approach contact centres to see if their volunteer staff would undertake the supervision & reports? Would court consider the volunteer staff 'professional supervision'.
Has any dad been through this stage of the battle and can advice from experience.
Thank you Warwickshire1.
Just to be clear, since separation after many months of mother refusing my requests for contact, she then agreed to contact but in contact centre only - supported not supervised so centre don't provide reports other than attendance times.
At c100 first hearing, judge ordered 'professionally supervised contact in the community and my house. But I must organise and pay for!
Are you saying I approach contact centres to see if their volunteer staff would undertake the supervision & reports? Would court consider the volunteer staff 'professional supervision'.
Has any dad been through this stage of the battle and can advice from experience.
https://naccc.org.uk/find-a-centre
Try this link above for where you live and see what comes up
Thank you, I looked at that site and there's no info on anyone or any organization offering professional supervisors who would escort you for duration of your 4hr contact: seeing your child at your home or park, shops etc
theres a few listed. most contacts are for 2 hours at a time. type your area in and a few should come up which you would need to ring. you can tick the box supported contact on left
hi,
i guess only thing to do is use supervised contact centre, where they observe and write reports.
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.