I have applied to court to arrange extended contact with my two girls. The court ordered cafcass to get involved again. Had my interview which I felt went really well. I raised a couple of concerns such as my ex locking the girls in their room from the outside when they are in bed. She was shocked to hear this, but did not mention it in the report? Of course she logged everything my ex has said in the report which are a pack of lies.
My ex is claiming I have sent several emails threatening court (i have not mentioned this once) she also said after the last hearing (January this year) I immediately pushed for more contact when in reality it was 8 months. the ex and cafcass of course are claiming this to be "controlling behavior" This has been going on for three years, and at no point do I get the chance to show she is lying, I constantly ask for eveidnce of anything she claims has happened but it is always refused. What are my rights for a fact finding hearing, surely these cannot just be refused and base decisions on who's story they believe rather than actual facts. My girls are begging for more time with me, they told me they tell their mum this and she just says "you will see him soon enough" I asked cafcass to speak to my kids and their schools (each time this is refused, I am assuming the ex has something to do with that) The girls have been asking for more contact since October 2019 when unsupervised contact started. I am starting to lose my patience and feel I am going to explode in court about how unfair this entire process is.
There are so many other lies about how I do not communicate well regarding the kids. I have all the emails that say if the kids have had any Calpol for example when they are with me. On one occasion, we went to a soft play area and they had a bouncy castle which also had a slide. My youngest went down the slide on her belly a couple of times and she got friction burns on her knees and one on her arm. I dealt with them but also emailed the ex to explain what had happened and that I treated the injuries. According to the report, i did not mention this and my ex reported to social services!! thankfully they felt there was no need to investigate it. And rightly so.
I am starting to understand why dads just give up. That thought does cross my mind for a split second, but I wont.
hi,
I am surprised the courts accepted your application as your last hearing was early this year. A friend of mine had his application rejected after he applied within a year of his final hearing. I strongly suggest you not to push for a fact finding hearing. It will only drag your case on for longer than necessary. It is based on probabilities/hearsay, so bit like rolling a dice. and it can go against you, meaning you end up with less time with kids.
I think its better for you to be 100% child focused and just work towards getting more time with your kids. The conflict between parents and allegations is what Cafcass frowns upon, as they see all this as obstructing child arrangements from running smoothly. Last time my barrister told me court would not give me 50/50 arrangement because me and the ex didn't get along. The interview you had with Cafcass, was this for a Section 7 report or just their initial safeguarding call? also what arrangements, days are you seeking for your kids?
it was a safeguarding call with cafcass, no safeguarding issues have ever been raised. I want to have them Friday to Monday every other weekend and during also one or two nights during the week. I also want from next year to have them for holidays too and Christmas to be shared, but the ex just says this is "non negotiable" The current order is just one night every other weekend and a couple of hours after school every wednesday. The kids want to see me more often and she knows this. It just annoys me that she can say what she likes and I cannot show that she has made these things up. I mean if I have to wait longer I will, as long as I get the chance to show she is lying. If i can easily show them I sent emails to her about a one time injury and she says I have not, that shows she is being obstructive, surely?
@fer17 My original order was very similar to yours. fri-sun every other weekend and few hours on a wednesday. went back and got more time. fri-mon and a night in the week. yes good idea to get holidays sorted. can ask for 2-3 weeks in summer holidays, a week in xmas, easter. can do shared half days on special occassions. I had travel abroad covered too.