[Solved] NEW TO THE GROUP

Hi and welcome Enyamachaela 🙂

It's always great to have a professional on board!

I'm sorry to hear of your redundancy, the fallout from the Legal Aid reforms are far reaching....

I have to say that I don't recall anyone saying that solicitors are not as good as Independent Mediators, I think any issues raised have been more about the cost. I think most of us agree that Mediation is a good first step and barring certain criteria, it is something that we encourage our members to try.....as you say it's far cheaper but also court can do irrevocable damage to already fragile relationships....arrangements are forced rather than agreed upon.

Thanks Nannyjane...perhaps I misread it...sorry if I did! LOL!

The fallout from Legal Aid is appalling...I have been in law for far too many years and telling people when I was working there was no more legal aid made me think of Victorian days (only from what I know from books! LOL!!!) 😆

...it must have been awful being on the frontline and having to turn people away...it's already becoming apparent that some unscrupulous women are making false allegations of DV in the hope that they can still qualify for Legal Aid, although there are some safeguards in place to avoid this from happening, how that pans out remains to be seen!

I'm afraid I'm of the opinion that an awful lot of reforms coming through just pay lip service and the changes that are so badly needed to redress the balance are just not going to happen....I hope I'm wrong!

I was gutted!!!! So many people need legal help to get to see their children! Not least of which grandparents!

The safeguards are quite strong, involving the person at the receiving end of dv to get the required evidence, which is a lot more involved now than previously and does not rely on just one incident/one police call etc, unless it was particularly violent of course.

I said that that would happen, unfortunately as many of your group have realised many people use false allegations in an effort to get their own way in the past, dv, drugs, even sexual abuse...basically dirt that sticks, but are always investigated by the authorities, they have to be for the children's safety, but Judges do see through false allegations and have been known to prevent the person raising allegations from issuing further proceedings.

I second your final paragraph, and if any changes do happen, it will take many years again, just like it did many years ago(: As with Employment Tribunals, they have taken away legal aid from those who cant afford solicitors fees.

That's why Forums such as this will become more important, the onus is on us all to provide the right advice and support, we need people like you EnyaM, with a good solid legal background to help!

You're right of course most Judges do see through false allegations, but unfortunately there are some bad judges out there that display bias towards the mother and make some awful judgements....my son is currently going through the courts to vary contact. The mother who is also the NRP is under investigation for violence towards her 9 yr old daughter, was busted for a cannabis grow in my grandsons bedroom (which he used to use when he stayed over every other weekend) of 33 plants, and is in a relationship with a man newly out of prison for DV and Arson having set fire to his ex's house after beating her up! She is now pregnant to this man.... The judge ignored all of this, and the CAFCASS report that raised serious safeguarding issues about the mother, preferring instead to take the mothers word! Had it been a father that had done these things he would be denied all contact I'm sure! Rant over!

That's the trouble with the system it's totally reliant on how good the judge is on the day, judges don't often follow through so each hearing will have a different judge sitting! Very little consistency or continuity!

I am totally at a loss with what you are telling me, as I assume Social Services are already involved wth mother's abuse towards daughter, so I don't understand why the new partner is around! That Judge has certainly made a very bad decision against CAFCASS' advice!!! As w know the Court's do listen very heavily to CAFCASS! I am so sorry to hear this has gone so badly for your son! Rant away..I don't mind! Some Family Law Judges do keep cases to themselves...no I will amend that where I live (Staffs) my local court do keep family law matters to themselves. I wish your son every success in varying the Order! 🙂

...stay on here for any length of time and you will find yourself at a loss regularly,...some of these Dads have been to [censored] and back and are being denied their right of parenthood, and if not worse the children are being denied a father!.

My sons case isn't over yet....we will continue to fight our corner and with any luck the judge that awarded my son Residency in 2011 will be sitting at the next hearing, he was fantastic and so thorough!

Children's Services have been involved with the mother since 2010 but they are pretty ineffective. In 2010 Social Services were on an improvement order from OFSTED for failing the children in their care, my grandson and his sister were two of those children. Things have improved very little, they've reshuffled staff, retired a few but the ethos remains, they deal with crisis and treat neglect as acceptable...it has a lot to do with resources, the cuts in budget are reflected in the quality of care.

Oh yes, of that I am sure!

I am so sorry to hear that your children's services have been so ineffective! The Court has too in not listening o CAFCASS. Cuts in budgets should not be putting children in danger(: