Years after involvement how can we move forward

[Aliceinwonderland]

So 10 years ago we had child services involved for a pre birth assessment due to baby's dad, he had severe mental health issues due to trauma and was taking drugs and everything was terrible. We went all the way to PLO. (Although not court, there was no order just that I agreed with no contact)
It ended with a psychiatric assessment that said until he has been formally assessed as no longer a risk to baby no contact allowed other than in a contact centre. It also states this is due to mental health. Since then we have not had any contact with dad. However he has messaged me out of the blue saying he has changed, he has had private therapy and is clean from drugs.

Where can we go from here? I cannot deal with social services again, it was the worst time of my life. Does a private therapist count as formally assessing or does it need to be social services? We don't have a contact for social services due to it being 10 years ago and no problems with my care since

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Aliceinwonderland,

Welcome to the parents' board and thank you for your post.

You say that 10 years ago, children's services completed a pre-birth assessment due to your child's father as he had severe mental health issues and was misusing substances. The case was taken to PLO but not to court and you agreed that there would be no contact. Your child's father had a psychiatric assessment which stated that until he has been formally assessed as no longer being a risk to your child, any contact should be supervised in a contact centre due to his mental health. Since there, there has been no contact with your child's father. He has now messaged you, saying he has changed, has had therapy and is no longer using drugs. You would like to know where to go from here. You say you cannot deal with children's services again. You would like to know whether a private therapist counts as a formal assessment or whether this would need to be done through children's services? Children's services are no longer involved.

Firstly, it is encouraging to hear that your daughter's father has sought support, engaged with therapy and made progress. It is understandable that he would want to have a relationship with your daughter. Any contact that did take place would have to be safe, and in your daughter's best interests.

Given your daughter's father's history, the severity of previous concerns and the outcome of the psychiatric assessment he underwent, I would advise that you contact children's services about any intentions to start contact. It is understandable that you are anxious and apprehensive about them becoming involved, however, this shows that you are acting in a protective capacity and that you are being transparent. Children's services may want your child's father to undergo an assessment by a social worker, or to undergo another psychiatric assessment. They may also decide, based on his current situation, that they do not need to be involved.

Unfortunately, private therapy would not be seen as a sufficient alternative to a comprehensive assessment of your child's father, which will look specifically at whether contact would be appropriate and any risks he may pose to your child.

I hope you have found this helpful.

Best wishes,

Suzie.

[Aliceinwonderland]

Hi thank you for replying. I of course won't be allowing contact based on him saying he has changed.

Do you know if it's possible to get a new updated psychiatric assessment done privately? The same as the ones they use? I would rather know the likely outcome and decide if it's worth turning my life upside down or it may be better to leave it as it is and he will just have to wait a few more years until my child is an adult and can make their own decisions.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Aliceinwonderland

Thank you for your further post.

From your post, you clearly continue to have concerns about involving children’s service and want to know if getting a private psychiatric assessment of your daughter’s father. It is possible to obtain such an assessment, but this does not mean it would be acceptable to children’s services who would wish to engage their own assessment and ensure that the appropriate questions are asked in the letter of instruction to the psychiatrist carrying out the assessment.

Obtaining a private psychiatric assessment may help you decide whether to agree to contact. It is your decision whether contact happens or not and I suggest you read the advice regarding children’s services in the previous response again.

Your daughter’s father can, if he believes he has made significant changes, apply to the court for a child arrangement order for contact with his daughter. In this way he would be the person asking the court to decide about contact. The court would require evidence of the changes made and would ask for a report either from children’s services or Cafcass. Your daughter’s wishes and feelings about contact would be sought and a recommendation made to the court. The court’s first consideration before making an order would be the child’s welfare.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie

[Aliceinwonderland]

He has decided to take it to court so he can have it officially sorted. I have been reading into it and cafcass will make a report before the first hearing, during this they look at police and local authority records to see what is known. Obviously there is a lot of historical stuff on there...do you know if they will also look at what the situation is now in this initial stage? Or will they recommend a section 7 enquiry? I am thinking they will read the bad historical stuff and not see the changes he has actually made, will they speak to professionals that he has worked with in recent times? I also want to know how long this will take, I am happy for contact if they allow it I just don't want to risk losing my daughter to social care, so does this mean they can sort it out in the first step or will it move to the next step where it can take months to sort out?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Alice in Wonderland,

Thank you for your further post and update on your situation.

Your follow up questions relate to private family law.

Family Rights Group are not a specialist agency advising on private law matters but I can signpost you to some information you may find useful.

You can read information from the Child Law Advice website on Child Arrangements Orders here

Should it be necessary, detailed information about Section 7 reports and the role of Cafcass from the Rights of Women website is
here

Further ways to seek advice from Family Rights Group are detailed in this link.

Best wishes,
Suzie