Family Law Case

I am going through a family law case at the moment. I have had the bundle for a further hearing on Friday. Feel so scared. The school, social services and even my own son are against me. Have no representation and just don't know which way to turn. I am considering not even turning up on Friday. Can someone please offer any support on how to move forward.

What contact do you currently have ?

How old is kid?

What type of hearing is it?

What contact do you seek?

What accusations against you?

Have you been able to add anything to the bundle?

You can’t not turn up as they will just produce an order/ interim order against you.

If you give more info then people on this forum might be able to help.

My son is 12 years old. I don't have any contact at the moment. I applied to the court for an enforcement of a contact order. Now my son is making all sorts of accusations and the school and social services have gone against me. Just have no idea what to do. My son has gone off the rails for a while. Threatening to take a knife to school. Police came to my house with him a few months ago as he and his mom got into a fight. Try to set boundaries but mom went against everything. Having applied to the courts it seems that social services are believing my son. The most concerning thing is neither social services or the school are mentioning the serious issues. Just want my son to get help before he ends up doing something very serious.

What’s caffcass recommend

They have not even bothered doing a report. Even though the court ordered it they have failed to do the report.

Not sure if I should ask for an adjournment due to late receipt of the bundle. None of the reports from school or social services were done when the court clearly stipulated when they should be completed. They sent this in the bundle today. I asked at the first hearing for my son to be appointed a guardian due to the serious issues and his solicitor sent the bundle today. Just can't believe what is being said. When I read the bundle today I was in total shock.

What is the hearing tomorrow to decide.

If caffcass have failed to do a report how are they representing evidence against you

Have you called a solicitor to get 30 mins free legal advice ?

My son has a guardian. The court ordered this but CAFCASS argued against it. The court stated he should have a guardian. At the last hearing the judge ordered what needed to be done and the time and date for it to be completed. The bundle was to be done yesterday but received today. Statement from the guardian states she has not completed the report. Say there is a delay. The hearing on Friday was so I could respond to the CAFCASS recommendations. I assume this will be adjourned. Had barrister at first hearing to get a guardian. Now I have no representation. Can't really afford it and wanted to save the money and if it gets to a final hearing and then get a barrister.

Can’t see how you can respond to caffcass recommendation if it hadn’t been done. Maybe an email to court ( copying in ex solicitor ) tomorrow am asking if it should be adjourned.

My ex does not have solicitor. It is my son who has the solicitor for him and the guardian. I have had received the reports from social services and the school. They are not very complimentary of me. It seems my son is claiming many false allegations against me. This whole process is making me ill. I feel scared, alone and unsure how to move forward in this situation. My son is adamant he wants zero contact with me. Do I just accept his wish and walk away?

Reports but no recommendations going forward ?

The judge already ordered no contact for me in the first hearing. There are no recommendations from CAFCASS. Maybe that will arrive tomorrow. Not sure I could do a proper response in such a short space of time.

If anyone can recommend a good Mckenzie Friend could you please private message me. Thank You

Hi. Don't give up. The Guardian's report is the important thing as they will (hopefully) ascertain whether your son has been coached to say some of these things. It's also important to distinguish between what is "actual" and what is "reported". The school may have just reported what they heard your son say - not stating it's true. Without the Guardian's report then yes, the hearing should be adjourned really. It's possible it may arrive tomorrow at the hearing, so I would turn up anyway and if it's not been submitted, ask for it to be adjourned until the Guardian's report is available.

We don't really recommend McKenzie friends - and they also charge money - it's not free.

So this bundle - are there things missing - ie your documents? If so you can submit your own supplementary bundle including all the things they've left out. You just email the court, attach the documents. Have a heading Case number xxxxxx hearing date tomorrow - urgent. Then

Dear Sirs,

The Respondent's solicitor has left out a number of documents from the bundle which should be in there. Please find these documents attached to be added to the bundle. I would be grateful if you could pass this email and attached documents to the Judge.

Yours sincerely, your name (Father).

And copy ex's solicitor into the email.

I did the first bundle with my initial position starement and that is in the new bundle. My son has now made some very serious allegations against me. Just can't believe what he is saying. Only found this out yesterday when I received the bundle. School have stated my son wants no contact with me and his wishes should be heard. The school have slso stated my son was quiet and reserved at school when he was in my care and was his normal self when in moms care. My son was suspended 3 times last school year, threatened to take a knife to school and stab someone and on numerous occasions threatening violence to others. These situations always happened when he was not in my care. Last school year my son had 168 lines for his behaviour. I have not seen him since July. In the new bundle the school have sent his behaviour report and in September and October this year he has already got 53 lines for his behaviour. My ex has always stated his behaviour is because of me. I find myself in a situation that I don't know how to deal with. It is overwhelming. If you have a child who goes to the lengths of lieing so he does not want to see you then maybe I should listen to his wishes and walk away.