Please can someone help

[Dfrew75]

Hi all,
I currently have my grandchild living with me for the last year as part of an interim care order and I'm currently being assessed for special guardianship order all was going well until 3 weeks ago cs decided my partner orf7 months should be police checked, I put his details through and he confessed to me that 17 yrs ago when he was 23 he had consential intercourse with a girl she was 15 when he found out he went to the police and was charged and put on sex offender register. His one and only offence. However I have been placed in a situation of its him or my grandchild and that hes a bad person ( and no I'm not saying his offence was ok ) my world has been turned upside down cs are not willing to work with him or risk assess him and I'm being made out to be the bad one. I just dont know what way to turn

[Dfrew75]

Or if it is even worth fighting it

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Dfrew75,

Welcome to the Parent’s Forum. My name is Suzie and I am an adviser for Family Rights Group.

As you are a friend and family carer you should post on our other board for carers here.
But I will address this post here as I can see that it is very urgent.

I am sorry to hear that you have such a very difficult decision to make in what is a very short time. The local authority will be asking you to make a decision to choose either your grandson or your partner.

I assume your partner is currently not allowed to live with you. You are currently a foster carer (as there are care proceedings so your grandson is a looked after child). Those who have convictions for serious offences against children cannot live in a fostering situation. If he had been staying with you at all, he should have been police checked straight away.

Luckily, you have only known your partner for 7 months. Even so, he will have been expected to have told you about him being on the sex offenders register or he should have told the officer who deals with him while he is on the register. The fact he did not do so will go against him.

The SGO assessment asks questions about adults who are risky to children. Your partner is that and so you continuing to want to be with him will seriously jeopardise your grandson’s placement with you.

As there are care proceedings which have already been in court for a year, I assume there just is not enough time to carry out an assessment of your partner. The court will not wait. This does not seem to be a reason to delay the final hearing.

So in my view, based on what you have said in your post, your choice seems very stark. I am sorry that this is the case.

The only other thing I can think of, is getting legal advice from a solicitor who is experienced in child care law. The local authority may pay for your legal advice. However, I do not think it will be any different from what I am saying.

You could also call our free and confidential advice line for further advice on 0808 801 0366.

Best wishes,
Suzie