[Solved] Hello 🙂

Hi Lee and welcome 🙂

Unfortunately the story of your struggle to see your children is one we hear far to often on here, you're not alone....small consolation I know, but there are Dads on here that have been where you are now and have been able to turn things around and be involved in their childrens lives again.

You know you dont need a solicitor to apply for contact with your children. There are many Dads that for various reasons decide to represent themselves in court. There are two stickys at the top of the Legal Eagle section, the first is called "Contact Order C100 Guide".
This has lots of information about the C100 form which is the form you would need to fill in and submit to cout to apply for contact. There is a charge of £200 to do this, its a one off charge that covers all your court hearings. The other sticky is called "How to Represent yourself in Court" and this will tell you all about the court process.

At the same time that you submit the C100 form you can also submit the C1 form to apply for Parental Responsibility. You may be able to get help with the costs but you would have to ask at the court offices about this.

There is hope...unless there are serious reasons for a father to be kept away from their children, the court always feels that having both parents in a childs life is whats best.

Have you thought about Mediation? The court will expect that this has been tried before going to court anyway. Heres a link to the Mediation Service.

www.nfm.org.uk

Best of luck 🙂

Many thanks for your feedback Nannyjane 🙂

I have no problems going through mediation, but sadly my ex would not agree to that.

At the end of the day children need both parents in their life (well unless of course if there is a good reason not to) yet my ex just deems it acceptable to coach the children with her lies so she is then looked upon as the poor little innocent victim.

I shall have a look at those sticky's you mentioned about, plus I will have a look at the link you have been kind enough to put on here for me.

Am glad to hear that where some Dads on here have been in my situation have managed to turn things around as at the end of the day the poor kids have to endure the two people they love most in life go their own separate ways so they should not have to feel like a pawn in a game of chess.

Lee74

Perhaps if you were to write to her and invite her to attend Mediation, but inform her that you have taken advice and if she refuses or ignores your request you will have no option but to apply to the court for a defined Contact Order. Tell her that your childrens well being is your priority, and that the courts consider that it is in the childrens best interests to have both parents in their lives.

If you do decide to write to her keep a copy and send it recorded signed for. 🙂

Knowing her she will just totally ignore that, as unless it involves the magic word 'money' then she is not interested, but it sure is worth a try thank you.

She always pretends to anyone who is gullible enough to believe her that the kids mean everything to her, but in reality all she does is deny our boys a loving father.

Who knows, maybe when legal aid is no longer available to anyone she may think twice about things, and hopefully do what is best for the boys, but I strongly suspect she will just do nothing as always.

Anything is worth a try as like the saying goes nothing ventured is nothing gained 🙂

...Whether she agrees or not, the way you should look at it is as preparation for court and building your case....you want to be able to illustrate that you put your children at the heart of it all. Thats why you must always be civil and reasonable in all of your dealings with her, regardless of how she behaves. 🙂