We are in the middle of the court process with my partners ex (the mother) for 50/50 contact and after a first hearing it was ordered to have a section 7, following false allegations of abusive behaviour towards 11 year old. Background info is Father previously had 50/50 contact with children (2 daughters) which was stopped and reduced to every other weekend and 1 night in week by mother when he met me (now wife) 3 years ago. She also did this to her previous husband before meeting my now husband, and alienated her first 3 children from him too - so history repeating itself and we hoped court/cafcass would recognise this as a trend with the mother.
Since girls have been less in his care and spent less time, his relationship with them, (especially the older) has become more strained with clear signs of alienating behaviours due to mothers hatred for him and myself and negativity surrounding him from the mother. She openly tells the children he is an abuser and bully and does nothing but “shout” encouraging girls to fear him. Before applying to court she was constantly accusing us of abusing her and the children, spreading lies about him to anyone who would listen, accused my 2 young sons, ages 7 and 9 of sexual interest in their stepsisters amongst many other disturbing and hurtful claims, and is constantly out to pull our family and the father in particular apart, it’s very much been a long painful road leading to this court case but we hoped the truth would prevail. His 11 year old daughter coincidentally stopped coming to us or seeing her father after we submitted the court application and told the officer she wants nothing to do with him ever again, didn’t acknowledge her step sister or step brothers and said that I have always been unkind to her, when in reality we were extremely close and because of the situation she was more often treated with more than my own 3 children.
The completed report from the Cafcass officer recommendations are no increased time due to fathers “poor management of feelings” with the youngest daughter aged 7 and any more contact will leave her vulnerable as she grows and Develops as he has shown inconsideration to his older daughters feelings which has resulted in the rejection and refusal of contact, and only recommendation is for him to source and take part in a parenting course.
No recommendations for the mother or change in order that she dictated 3 years ago. The officer told us on the phone we both seemed a more than capable for an increase in time so feel very let down.
We believe the mother has purposely enabled and encouraged 11year old to decide not to see her dad since knowing an application to court had been made, knowing it paints father in bad light and she will be revelling in this report being so damming of him and portrays her as a flawless caring mother.
We went into this as LIP - is it too late to obtain legal assistance such as hiring solicitor? Our next hearing is 27th march, we’re not sure if this is a final hearing or just a second hearing following this report.
Also Any advice on how we can challenge this report? What questions we could ask if cross examining the officer? The first hearing we had no cafcass officer present and hearing was very rushed, judge seemed to dislike us too so we want to try as best we can.
My partner now feels like just giving up on it all as he’s just been torn apart by someone who has only had a 20 minute phone-call with him and brief conversation with his girls.
Since girls have been less in his care and spent less time, his relationship with them, (especially the older) has become more strained with clear signs of alienating behaviours due to mothers hatred for him and myself and negativity surrounding him from the mother. She openly tells the children he is an abuser and bully and does nothing but “shout” encouraging girls to fear him. Before applying to court she was constantly accusing us of abusing her and the children, spreading lies about him to anyone who would listen, accused my 2 young sons, ages 7 and 9 of sexual interest in their stepsisters amongst many other disturbing and hurtful claims, and is constantly out to pull our family and the father in particular apart, it’s very much been a long painful road leading to this court case but we hoped the truth would prevail. His 11 year old daughter coincidentally stopped coming to us or seeing her father after we submitted the court application and told the officer she wants nothing to do with him ever again, didn’t acknowledge her step sister or step brothers and said that I have always been unkind to her, when in reality we were extremely close and because of the situation she was more often treated with more than my own 3 children.
The completed report from the Cafcass officer recommendations are no increased time due to fathers “poor management of feelings” with the youngest daughter aged 7 and any more contact will leave her vulnerable as she grows and Develops as he has shown inconsideration to his older daughters feelings which has resulted in the rejection and refusal of contact, and only recommendation is for him to source and take part in a parenting course.
No recommendations for the mother or change in order that she dictated 3 years ago. The officer told us on the phone we both seemed a more than capable for an increase in time so feel very let down.
We believe the mother has purposely enabled and encouraged 11year old to decide not to see her dad since knowing an application to court had been made, knowing it paints father in bad light and she will be revelling in this report being so damming of him and portrays her as a flawless caring mother.
We went into this as LIP - is it too late to obtain legal assistance such as hiring solicitor? Our next hearing is 27th march, we’re not sure if this is a final hearing or just a second hearing following this report.
Also Any advice on how we can challenge this report? What questions we could ask if cross examining the officer? The first hearing we had no cafcass officer present and hearing was very rushed, judge seemed to dislike us too so we want to try as best we can.
My partner now feels like just giving up on it all as he’s just been torn apart by someone who has only had a 20 minute phone-call with him and brief conversation with his girls.
