Section 7 report arrived late - less time to reply

[MountainGoat]

Hi everyone,

So I am due to attend the final child arrangements hearing and as many of you know already know the social workers did a section 7 report and now have been tasked to do a new one.
They are saying it will be issued today (one week late) which gives me much less time to reply to it and draft my statement.

Can I do anything?

Thankyou.

 

[Resolute]

How much less time?

If you took the time allowed originally would your response still be filed before the hearing? If so, how far in advance?

It is probably best for you to knuckle down and get thing done. You would be justified in extending your deadline to file and serve a response to the S7. If your statement for the hearing is due to be filed and served well in advance. That could also be delayed if necessary.

My experience in court has been of judges paying no attention at all to my ex abusing process to put me on the back foot. This leads me to believe that missing deadlines with justification is unlikely to be a deciding factor.

Please let us know how far in advance of hearing you were due to produce the S7 response and your position/witness statement.

 

[MountainGoat]

Thankyou Resolute.

So I have to get get the statement in by the 17th March. The date they were meant to send the Section 7 report to me was the 28th March so a week ago.
Still not received anything as yet but told it is meant to arrive today.

 

[Peanut 21]

Thankyou Resolute.

So I have to get get the statement in by the 17th March. The date they were meant to send the Section 7 report to me was the 28th March so a week ago.
Still not received anything as yet but told it is meant to arrive today.

28th of Feb?

 

[Resolute]

Thankyou Resolute.

So I have to get get the statement in by the 17th March. The date they were meant to send the Section 7 report to me was the 28th March so a week ago.
Still not received anything as yet but told it is meant to arrive today.

If you made the statement as late as the report, would it still be in time for the hearing?

How many days before the hearing would that get you to?

3 working days before the hearing would be best.

 

[MountainGoat]

Sorry, I meant to say the social worker's S7 report was due on 28th February. It is now due today as they are a week late. I'm hoping it comes today.
I then have to get my reply by the 17th.

 

[Resolute]

So, approximately, you would have had three weeks, now you have about 10 days.

Is that right?

 

[MountainGoat]

Yes that is right.

 

[Mikexx]

Sorry, I meant to say the social worker's S7 report was due on 28th February. It is now due today as they are a week late. I'm hoping it comes today.
I then have to get my reply by the 17th.

The last thing you want to do is criticise the social worker. When's the hearing date? As long as your response is there a day or two before it shouldn't make much difference.

A deadline can focus the mind and I would certainly try and and reply before the 17th.

 

[MountainGoat]

Hearing is the 31st March.
I'm going to focus on my statement next week. To be honest there isnt much thats changed from my last one.
I just don't know how they can be making decisions based on my ex saying my parents blocked her in a car park when that is false and there is no proff and based on me being on bail. Once again no proof of anything as it is false!

Ofcourse Im out my home due to her allegations when I could have been with my kids.

Cant even call my kids!

Im so pissed off.

 

[Mikexx]

Without evidence her claim should be dismissed. The exception if you have history of the same. Get yourself a dashcam. Record everything including calls.

Unless there is some variation to the hearing, such as a request for more evidence or statements, I doubt the judge will look at the paperwork until he day before. If you are going to be late, send an email or letter to the court explaining why and your new imposed deadline.

 

[MountainGoat]

Didn’t receive the report yesterday either.
This is not good. Gives me hardly any time.

 

[MountainGoat]

Hi everyone. I hope you’ve had a good weekend.

The report is still not sent which means I now have less than a week to reply. I work full time. I can’t do this and rush it.
I’m going to call the social worker this morning. Surely they can’t expect me to rush my statement due to then being late.

 

[UKDADS]

Hi everyone,

So I am due to attend the final child arrangements hearing and as many of you know already know the social workers did a section 7 report and now have been tasked to do a new one.
They are saying it will be issued today (one week late) which gives me much less time to reply to it and draft my statement.

Can I do anything?

Thankyou.

Section 7 report is a joke. As long as you haven't done anything abusive towards your children then you have nothing to worry about. If section 7 report is being done again means that whoever done the first one is not trustworthy

 

[MountainGoat]

Thenkyou for your reply.

There’s been three social workers because Stbx didn’t like it when a social worker disagreed with her so demanded a new one.

The thing I’m worried about is I’m ordered to reply to this report but how can I when I don’t have the report and then with such little time.

 

[Peanut 21]

Thenkyou for your reply.

There’s been three social workers because Stbx didn’t like it when a social worker disagreed with her so demanded a new one.

The thing I’m worried about is I’m ordered to reply to this report but how can I when I don’t have the report and then with such little time.

I guess you could write up the bulk of your response (if you haven't already) and then adapt parts to fit with the report?

 

[Ash]

This is a section 7 addendum isn't it? Have you already submitted witness statements and evidence for the final hearing or not? Or is the 17th the date by which witness statements have to be submitted? Or is it just a position statement after the second S7 report that needs submitting?

Either way, once you receive the report, you can email the court and ask for an extension of time to submit the statement/position statement. If necessary. If it's just a position statement it won't take long to do - and I'm happy to help. If it's a witness statement you can start work on it now and just amend when you get the S7 addendum.

 

[MountainGoat]

It is a section 7 addendum. That is the report I am waiting for. Social worker has told me they are going to call me at 6pm to discuss when I asked by email this morning why its not been sent yet.

I have to submit my witness statement and reply to this report by the 17th March with the final hearing then taking place on the 31st.

I'm going to get to writing it as of tomorrow. It's been really difficult with work being full on a the moment too.

I'm also going to mention on the phone tonight another thing.....Secondary school placements came out last week and I should have been kept in the loop and my name put down but ofcourse stbx has not put me down at all on the school forms it seems so I know nothing whether my son has even got his school place.

Thankyou Ash Your help would very much be appreciated as right now I feel like my staement is going to dtermine everything and it all or nothing.

I am also waiting as the court is meant to appoint me a barrister for this final hearing but so far heard notihng as yet. I have to submit questions to ask stbx and am a bit lost with that too.

Sorry, my mind is a bit all over the place at the moment.

 

[Ash]

A witness statement is very formal and not like a position statement. Do you have a page limit? I would try and put the addendum out of mind for now because your witness statement really stands alone. It's your evidence for the whole case. Start by getting together any evidence you want to use. Maybe choose the strongest 8 to 10 pieces (communications/texts/emails - between you and ex or you and others - school or GP or whoever. And any letters that could be evidece). You can structure the statement around the evidence to a degree. Unless there is a short page limit, you break it up with subheadings. Eg start with "Background". You can add a comment about the addendum later. You can also do a separate position statement just before the hearing

It needs to be in double line spacing with numbered paragraphs. At the end you state exactly what you want the court to order. The earlier part of the statement is basically your "evidence" or argument as to why you want the order asked for. Keep it child focused and in a calm tone. Don't directly criticise the ex, but your attached evidence can do that. Eg you can say something like "It has been very difficult at times to arrange suitable arrangements for the children and I feel a defined order will give them stability (exhibits a and b). Exhibits a and b could be emails or texts from ex being difficult and obstructive.

 

[MountainGoat]

Thankyou. I really appreciate your reply.

I’ve just broken down. I have just come off the phone to the social worker who says she is submitting the report tonight.

She says the children’s views have to be taken into account and that they mentioned they know “daddy was a bad man and has hurt mummy”.
That just set me off. Stbx has completely poisoned them and manipulated them.

I mentioned how can you write a report and believe all this when the police took no further action and I even showed cctv footage of my garden to show I never pushed or dragged her along the patio.
I mentioned the number of times the police have took no action when she reported me for harming my children, but they simply say we have to focus on the here and now.
And because there’s the court date in August against me for coercive behaviour I have to take that up with them. Again based on lies.

I’m losing my children. The report just believes it all and social worker just doesn’t want to hear me out.

I’m crying my eyes out right now. How can this be the way???

I’m sorry guys but I feel like my life’s truly ended. I don’t even think I can write this statement as I don’t have the strength.

She’s got it all. Delaying finances so I don’t get a house, kids prefer being at home.

Life is just shit.