Scared of losing my baby

[Shaftesbury]

My 6 month old baby has been looked after under an interim care order while assessments were carried out on myself and my partner (who has historical sexual convictions).

Expert assessments came back saying my partner poses a very low risk to boys and that incest was not an interest. Expert assessments also came back saying I have an excellent capacity to protect.

Care plans were drawn up ahead of a final hearing which recommended my partner begin seeing his baby at first supervised by myself but then progressing to unsupervised contact. Everything looked positive.

However, at the final hearing the judge clearly viewed my partner as a higher risk than had been assessed by experts and doubted my ability to protect and he was doing all he could to try to make me or my partner end our relationship, and for my partner to disappear out of our baby's life.

Now the LA have been told by the judge to draw up new care plans and I am absolutely terrified they are going to suggest removal of my baby if I don't split up with my partner.

I am very confused. I don't know how we ended up here when it all looked so positive prior to the final hearing.

So I am writing to try to find out if this complete turnaround seems extreme, or is it pretty standard for a judge to appear to completely go against all expert assessments, the LA, and the guardian, and feel it would be better off if my baby were to grow up without a father.

Has anybody else experienced this? I don't want to lose my partner as we have been together many years (we do not live together) but I definitely do not want to lose my baby.

I would clarify that there are no other safeguarding issues. I do not abuse drugs or alcohol and my home is clean and tidy.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi Shaftesbury,
Please see my answer to your later post.
Kind regards,
Suzie