Step children after charge

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Sugarplum123

Welcome to the discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie, I am an online adviser and will be responding to you today.

I am sorry hear of your situation; it must be very stressful for you. I hope the information below is helpful to you.

Your partner of five years has been arrested for accessing child sexual images on a social media app. There is a police investigation, and your partner is on Bail pending the outcome of the investigation. You have four children; one is your partner’s biological child and the other three are his stepchildren. Your partner is allowed supervised contact with the children.

You are seeking information and guidance on what might happen should your partner be found not guilty, and you decide to remain in a relationship with him and he returns to the family home. You are also seeking advice on what action the biological father may consider taking if he is not in agreement to your partner returning the family home.

In respect of your partner returning to the family home. Should he be found not guilty, children’s services may remain involved in your family life, and they could request that he does not return to the family home if they consider the risk is too high to adequately safeguard the children. However, unless there is a court order in place or a person with parental responsibility agrees to this, children’s services cannot force a person to leave but they can escalate and potentially remove the children from parental care (by initiating care proceedings) if this request is not met. The Police can remove a child under their police protection powers (for up to 72 hours if the children are at risk of significant harm). I would advise that any consideration for your partner to return to the family home is made in conjunction with children’s services in an agreed planned and supported way.

Children services have a lower threshold to pursue statutory duties and enquiries to establish if your children have or are at risk of suffering ‘significant harm.’ I will assume a enquirysection 47 has taken place and the children are subject to child protection plans . If this is the case, then a risk assessment should have been carried out to address managing risk and risk reduction. This will inform current and future plans for the children and it should be reviewed regularly and updated when (if ) new information comes to light. The process of reviewing children subject to child protection plans are (RCPC) Review Child Protection Case Conferences .

I would suggest you work openly and transparently with children services in respect of your wish for your partner to move back into the family home. I would advise that any agreements and decisions in respect of this are confirmed in writing by children’s services to avoid any misunderstandings. It will also provide a paper trail of agreed decisions and actions should you need to refer to for future reference. You may find this guidance HERE helpful. It is our ‘top tips’ for working with social workers.

You and your partner may find the link HERE useful. It is the Stop It Now! organisation. They are a child protection charity, working to prevent child sexual abuse. They provide a confidential helpline – 0808 1000 900, live chat and a secure messaging service for anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse and its prevention – whether they’re worried about their own thoughts, feelings and behaviour, or about another adult or young person. They also provide specialised risk assessments and work with entire families that have been affected.

In respect of your children’s father. If he does not agree to his children’s living arrangements he could consider applying to court for a ‘lives with’ Child Arrangement Order He would need to complete a C100 application to court. The matter would then be put before the court for a decision.

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 excluding bank holidays). You can of course, post again on here.
Best wishes, Suzie

[Need help 2021]

Hi Sugarplum123 to be honest it’s even if he was not guilty they will still do a risk assessment to see his risk and they would want you to protect your kids if your take his side they will say you are not protecting your kids I am in the same situation my self . And it’s going to be a year in April since we haven’t stayed together.

[KatKat10]

Sugarplum, I am going to be blunt with you. Why did he have these images? Do you not find this a concern that he has these images? Personally I would be horrified & disgusted if I found out anyone had these types of images. Your children's welfare and safety comes first.