Advice needed please.

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Fartherinneed
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2021 4:22 pm

Advice needed please.

Post by Fartherinneed » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:10 pm

I'm recently out of prison for a sex offence. Before going to prison whilst on bail my ex stopped all contact with my children including my family.
Whilst inside I did a parenting course and worked with the prison mental health team completing a number of cbt courses.
Now I'm out my probation officer has referred me to child services and I've also requested a parenting course through them.
My offence is nothing to do with my children can anyone please give me advice on how I go through the family court to get access to my children even if it at a contact centre I don't care I just want me and my family to be able to see my children.
Thank you

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4207
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: Advice needed please.

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:26 pm

Dear Fartherinneed

Welcome to the parents’ discussion forum and thank you for your post.

My name is Suzie, online adviser at Family Rights Group.

I can see from your post that you are anxious to have contact with your children after serving a sentence for a sex offence. Prior to going to prison your children’s mother stopped all contact with both you and your family. It is possible that this was based on advice she received from children’s services at the time. Or it may be that she was concerned about the nature of the offence.

You have done a number of course whilst in prison to improve your mental health as well as your parenting ability. This is of course very positive.

It is normal procedure for probation to inform children’s service now that you have been released from prison. You have already contacted children’s services and asked for a parenting course. Children’s service may also want to carry out a risk assessment of you to find out the level of risk you pose although you state that your offence was nothing to do with your own children, the fact that you were convicted of a sex offence will be a safeguarding concern for them.

Regarding contact with your children, if the children’s mother is not willing to agree contact, then you will need to make an application to the court for a child arrangement order for contact. The court usually expect persons to try family mediation prior to making an application to court. If one party refuses to engage with this, the other party will be given the appropriate form by the family mediator to show that there was an attempt at mediation. You can find out about a family mediation service local to you by checking online or at your local family court.
To make an application to the court, you will need to complete the appropriate form (C100).

It is possible to represent yourself at court and you may find it helpful to look at this website https://www.advicenow.org.uk/ which has helpful guides.

You could also contact Child Law Advice on 0300 330 5480 for advice. They offer advice to persons who do not have a solicitor.

Once you make your application the court will make the final decision about contact taking account of all the circumstances and what is in the children’s best interests.

I hope this information is helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie

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