a child after sentence for indecent images

[Nella555]

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice from someone who knows how social services work. My partner got a sentence for having indecent images on his computer (11 images mentioned in the sentence), 3 years suspended and 10 years banned from unsupervised contact with children unless the carer/parent knows about his sentence and consents to contact. We don't have children, but would like to have one. His probationary officer asked social services for advice, but they're taking their time. Does anybody know what a likely outcome would be- would we have to separate for example should we have a child so that he doesn't have unsupervised contact? Or would the clause about the parent's consent to contact apply to me as the parent? I would like to know this before I get pregnant, but I have a feeling the social services will respond only if we actually are expecting... And then it will be too late.
Thanks!

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Nella555,

Welcome to the Parents Forum.
It is commendable that you are seeking advice from children services before you are pregnant. They should give your partner’s probation officer some guidance.

What else can you do before you try for a baby?

Has your partner had any forensic assessment of his risk? This should give an idea as to his current risk to children. He can speak to his probation officer about this. This report would then need to be interpreted. You could discuss the contents with children services.

Can your partner give consent to his probation officer to disclose any reports or information to you so you know exactly what his risk is? What images was he viewing? These will be categorised? What about previous worries from the police? Has there been past allegations against him which may not have gone to court? Has he a criminal record for similar crimes? Ask him to get his probation officer to write to you to confirm the position.

It is important that you have full knowledge of your partners risk before you make the decision to have a family with him. As you have suggested, there is the real possibility that you may have to chose between your partner or your baby.

If you fall pregnant what will children’s services do?

There will be no doubt that children services will become involved if you were to fall pregnant due to your partner being a sexual risk to your child.

They will want to carry out a pre- birth assessment to look at your partners risk of harm to your unborn baby and your ability to protect your baby from your partner.
The assessment will decide whether or not your partner will be a risk to your child. can that risk be reduced?

If children services consider your baby to be at risk of suffering significant harm then there will be a child protection investigation. This may result in a pre-birth child protection conference to consider whether a child protection plan is needed to safeguard your baby.

The plan might consider what will happen when you are in hospital. How will your baby be protected? What precautions will need to be put in place? How will your partners risk be managed in hospital?
Will your partner be allowed to live with you and baby at home or will he have to live at another address and only have limited supervised contact?

Your ability to protect baby will be assessed as well? Do you understand the risk of your partner? Even if you did, would be able to protect baby at all hours of the day, if this was needed?

If children services had reasonable cause to believe that your baby was in danger and you were not able to protect your baby, then they would consider whether your baby should be removed from you.

Here is our advice sheet which sets out the legal options available to children services.

Does your family and friends network know about the criminal conviction? Can they play a role in protecting any child you might have?
One way of accessing support within your network to protect a child is to have a
family group conference


You should also consider contacting the Lucy Faithfull Foundation for advice and to see what programmes might be available to you and your partner.

Other parents have shared their experiences on this forum. You should have a look at these threads as well.

I have given you a lot of information. If you have any questions, please post back or call our advice line on 0808 801 0366.

Best wishes,

Suzie

[Nella555]

Hi Suzie,
Many thanks for your detailed reply. I will follow your advice. I just hope social services won't take months and months because I'm 36 at the moment.

Best wishes

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi Nella,

Don't let them take months. You should chase them for a response within a few weeks. If they are not forthcoming (because you are not pregnant) then you need to seek advice from other sources of support such and our advice line or the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

Best wishes,

Suzie