SHPO removal

[Lookingforadvice20]

My partner is a category 1 sex offender, due to having sexual intercourse with his 14 year old girlfriend when he was 16. He was not charged until he was 18, and was required to sign on the register for 10 years, and was also subject to a SHPO.

He is now 24, and we have 2 11 week old twins. My partner has never 're offended' and the whole situation has affected him mentally, he has been taking anxiety medication for years.

Social services are involved and have stated my other half isn't allowed unsupervised access to the twins without a 3rd party being present, which has resulted in my friend living with us for the past few months.

We applied for the removal of the SHPO through the court, and it was confirmed today that the initial court documents were contradictory, and the SHPO should have expired in January. Our solicitor, and my partners visor officer have both stated that if this was done when it should have been then social services would not be invovled.

Our solicitor has sent an email through to social services to confirm this has been removed and there are no longer restrictions on my partner, and his visor officer is going to call our social worker first thing Monday.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice or experience on this and can advise what is likely to happen moving forward? Thank you.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Lookingforadvice20

Welcome to the discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I will responding to you today.

The children are now 11 weeks old and children’s services became involved because your partner was subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), previously known as a sexual offence prevention order (SOPO). Children’s services requested your partner has no unsupervised contact with his children and you managed this by enlisting a friend to live with you for support. It is good that you were able to put this plan in place following the request and demonstrates your willingness to work with professionals. You applied to have the SHPO removed through court, and this was successful. There are now no restrictions on your partner, and you would like some advice on what is likely to happen regarding children’s services involvement moving forward.

You say children's services are now involved – is this under a child protection plan? If so when is the next Core Group meeting / Review Child Protection Conference (RCPC)? If the Core Group meeting is first, then the updating information regarding the SHPO should be shared at this meeting and agreement sought as to whether a request should be made to bring the RCPC forward. If this is agreed, then the social worker should inform the Child Protection chair , the RCPC should be brought forward, and the new information discussed. Depending on what else has been identified as risk factors for the children, they may remain on a plan, the plan may be closed with no further recommendations, or the children may be ‘stepped down’ to Early Help or Child in Need plans. Please click on the links for information explaining these types of plans. If there is a RCPC before the next Core Group meting the new information will be discussed at this point.

I hope you find this information useful.  Should you wish to speak to an adviser please call our free advice line: 0808 801 0366 (Mon to Fri 9.30a.m. – 3.00p.m.) Or please do post on this board if you have a further query.

Best wishes, Suzie