Child arrangement order - residence
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:08 pm
Hi, I'm a single adoptive mum to my 19 year old dd. Last summer she had a baby. Babes dad is not involved and dd and dgs live with me. I work full time as a teacher and by Christmas it was very clear that she was not coping and left the family home without him meaning that I had to take time off work and find a childminder (at considerable ongoing expense). On Christmas Day we visited my brother and has family and she disclosed to his wife, who is a health visitor, that she had shaken and thrown the baby on the bed. I notified SS who came and visited and put a Child in Need plan in place. Im not allowed to leave dd and grandson alone together for any length of time and so I've remortgaged the house to fund a childminder for the foreseeable future ( giving up work is not an option). SS have been putting pressure on me to apply for a SGO for which I've been resisting as I feel it's too early for us to give up on her ability to parent him long term. However I have reluctantly agreed to apply to Child arrangement order to ensure that she can't take him if she decides to leave home (or I kick her out). My dd I think would be happy for me to do that as she doesn't really enjoy or want to look after him (though she's pretty good with him on her own terms, I am the one who does 75% of the day to day care). I love him to bits and really is a gorgeous baby and meeting all his developmental milestones.
I've just been looking up how to apply and it seems very confusing. We would need family mediation before I can apply - even though SS are pushing for it and my dd isn't objecting? I can't get an appointment with LA law centre for another month and so I'm here asking if anyone knows what I need to do now? Thank you
I've just been looking up how to apply and it seems very confusing. We would need family mediation before I can apply - even though SS are pushing for it and my dd isn't objecting? I can't get an appointment with LA law centre for another month and so I'm here asking if anyone knows what I need to do now? Thank you