unsupervised and supervised contact

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear 1234

I appreciate your application has already been placed with the court.

However, for further information you may find it helpful to refer to page 34 - 36 and page 38 of our care proceedings will provide details of what steps you would need to take if you are applying to discharge the care order, but you would need demonstrate you have made significant changes to your situation since the care order was made.

In addition, the child arrangement order advice sheets may offer some useful advice about under what circumstances the court can grant this. A child arrangement order, and can often be made at the same time a care order is granted but in your own situation you may find it helpful to refer to the information about specific issues orders.

If you would like to speak to an adviser please feel free to contact our advice line on 0808 801 0366 Monday to Friday 09.30 am to 03.00 pm.

Best Wishes


Suzie

[1234]

I have received a court date over the weekend for the hearing, and CAFCASS have been told they have 17 days to compile a safeguarding report. I am happy now that things might actually be looked into.

I have made significant changes since the care order was finalised, most importantly and specifically was it was felt that I had significant mental health issues that could not be addressed in a timescale that was in the children's best interests... I was discharged from the mental health services just 6 months after the final hearing. However, children's services refuse to acknowledge that this has actually happened, and now exclude me from meetings due to my "ongoing significant mental health problems" as is stated in paperwork. They are not medical professionals, and make decisions based on information from over 4 years ago, and whenever I raise it with them that the medical professionals state I have no Mental health issues, both myself and my children are told that that is a perfect example of my mental health issues, and that it is my illness making me think I am better.
The children's dad stopped contact himself with the children, and then had a suicide attempt a few months later, leaving him with an acquired brain injury. 12 months from him stopping his contact, indirect contact in the form of letters and cards has just started happening again, but it is uncertain what risk if any he now poses to the children.

We all need to know and understand why my children are in care, I appreciate the reasons why things happened 3 years ago, but things have changed significantly now. However, I am being told that if I was to apply to discharge the care order, I would be undermining the placement, and if unsuccessful it will have repercussions for my contact. I know I have put an application in regardless, but I just feel I am truly between a rock and hard place, and have no idea where to turn to for advice.